BREAKDOWN: Large COVID-19 group at Maui church warrants warning

The Hawaii Department of Health is giving advice to a Maui church and its congregation due to what officials are calling an “imminent health threat” posed by a large cluster of COVID-19 cases.

The King’s Cathedral Cluster in Kahului has doubled in the last ten days and now totals 50 cases of COVID-19, according to an update provided today by the DOH.

Those infected are between 10 and 77 years old. Transmission of COVID-19 has spread from church to school and workplace. The DOH reports that it fears that more cases of “fallout” threaten the community as a whole and not just those affiliated with the King’s Cathedral.

The department encourages the church to cancel all upcoming in-person events and only conduct virtual services until the cluster is contained.

People who have attended events hosted by the King’s Cathedral and Chapels in the past 14 days are encouraged to get tested for COVID-19. They should watch themselves closely for symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell. If symptoms develop, they are advised to self-quarantine and seek medical attention.

The COVID cases associated with the King’s Cathedral were identified as a cluster on March 7.

The DOH first met with church officials to recommend containment measures, including isolation, quarantine, and advise a switch to virtual services and other preventive measures on March 10; however, another transmission was subsequently detected, related to in-person services, a youth conference and other gatherings.

“The DOH does not disclose specific cluster locations unless there is an imminent risk to public health,” said Acting State Epidemiologist Dr Sarah Kemble. “Based on the findings of our investigative team, we believe disclosure is warranted to prevent further transmission of the disease.”

The statewide number of cases and the number of cases in Maui have increased over the past week. It is extremely important that people wear masks, maintain physical distance, avoid crowds, and wash their hands regularly. Anyone who feels sick or thinks they have a cold should not go to work or school.

Anyone who feels ill, believes they have been exposed or has attended a ceremony in the King’s Cathedral and Chapel in the past two weeks can schedule a COVID-19 test by registering at the following link.