Hawaii
Measles virus reaches Hawaii again as risks grow – Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Measles has once again reached the shores of Hawaii — a reminder that the state is not shielded from the highly contagious disease.
Hawaii is, after all, a travel destination site for visitors from all sides of the Pacific. As measles cases on the U.S. continent continue to grow and circulate, so, too, do the risks of exposure to the measles virus here in the isles.
“We are a major international travel hub and a major destination from the U.S. mainland too,” said state Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble. “So it is important to remember that measles is just a plane ride away. It may come knocking at our door at any point in time.”
That reminder came earlier this month, on March 7, when the Hawaii Department of Health announced a visitor to Oahu had been diagnosed with measles.
This visitor — a vaccinated adult — had recently arrived in Hawaii “from a region of the continental U.S. with known measles transmission,” according to DOH, and then became ill and sought medical care.
The adult recovered at a private residence on Oahu, and is no longer infectious, according to DOH.
Meanwhile, DOH has sent out a list of places where others might have been exposed in earlier weeks — including both the Honolulu and Hilo airports, the Laie Mormon Temple, a Thai restaurant in Hilo, and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.
With measles, the first symptoms typically show up seven to 14 days after exposure, according to Kemble, but can take as long as 21 days.
The initial symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed three to five days later by the telltale rash of red spots that spread from the face down to the rest of the body, including arms, legs, and feet.
While breakthrough cases in a vaccinated person are rare, they can happen, Kemble said, for a number of reasons, including the responsiveness of one’s immune system or whether the individual already had a viral infection when receiving the shot.
Breakthrough cases also tend to be mild, as was the case this time. This individual did not have severe illness, she said. DOH, out of an abundance of caution, is still investigating the case and taking all steps to contain it.
“We don’t want to take any chances, and we treat all measles cases as measles cases,” she said.
While no new cases, to date, have been reported as a result of the existing case, DOH will not be able to announce an all-clear until well into April, she said, after two incubation periods have passed.
“We do very actively monitor and communicate with our health care providers in the community throughout these times,” she said. “I think it’s just good to be vigilant. If you’re taking care of patients out there, make sure you’re thinking about measles in case somebody might show up and turn out to have measles.”
Measles in the US
The number of measles cases on the U.S. continent, meanwhile, continue to skyrocket.
As of March 12, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,362 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. this year. Measles has been reported in 31 jurisdictions — from Alaska to California, Oregon, Washington state, Texas, South Carolina, Florida, New York, and Maine.
South Carolina has had the worst measles outbreak – since its inception in October, the number of cases there ballooned to 993 cases as of March 10, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. The majority of the cases there and in other states are among unvaccinated children under the age of 18.
Last year, Hawaii was one of 45 U.S. states that reported measles cases. There were nearly 50 outbreaks reported in 2025, according to CDC, resulting in three measles-related deaths.
In April 2025, DOH confirmed measles in a child under age 5 on Oahu upon return from international travel. Eventually, an adult family member of the household also contracted measles, but there were no further cases after that.
“I think we were very fortunate,” said Kemble. “We had followed up on close to 100 contacts from that situation …We had people under monitoring who would have been susceptible, but fortunately, nobody came down with measles.”
Last year, the measles virus also was detected in wastewater samples in West Hawaii County in August, then in samples from Kauai in October, and in samples from West Maui County in November as well as December.
Wastewater monitoring serves as an early-warning system for virus detections, as infected people shed viral genomic material in their waste, regardless of whether they report an illness or exhibit symptoms or not.
No confirmed human cases, however, followed those wastewater detections.
Prior to the latest cases, measles was last detected in the state in April 2023, in an unvaccinated Oahu resident returning from international travel. An exposed resident came down with measles a few weeks later.
Measles is a highly contagious disease, according to CDC, with nine out of 10 people likely to become infected if they are exposed to an infected person and do not have immunity.
It spreads through direct contact with an infected person or through the air via coughs or sneezes. An infected person can spread measles to others from four days before developing the rash to four days afterward.
The virus also can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room.
“Measles always is kind of the big one that we worry about because it’s so contagious,” Kemble said. “And actually, so is chicken pox, but measles is so contagious and more severe. So, you know, one out of 5 people who get measles and are unvaccinated, get hospitalized.”
Possible complications from measles include pneumonia and encephalitis, or brain swelling.
Vaccines waning
Health officials nationwide and in affected states such as South Carolina continue to say vaccines are the best way to prevent measles.
Two doses of the measles vaccine – usually given at the age of 12 to 15 months, followed by another at 4 to 6 years old — is supposed to be 97% effective in preventing disease.
Hawaii’s child immunization rates against measles, however, have been on the decline over the last decade.
Based on the latest CDC data available, Hawaii’s kindergartener vaccination rate for measles, mumps, and rubella for the 2024-25 school year hovers just below 90%, at 89.9%, below the national average. That puts Hawaii on the map with the dozen or so states that have the lowest MMR vaccination rates in the U.S., along with Alaska and Florida.
In South Carolina, where the outbreak began last October, the kindergartener vaccination rate is slightly higher than Hawaii’s, at 91.2%. The target level is 95% or more, according to CDC, in order to reach herd immunity.
Hawaii used to have a consistent vaccination rate of 95% for measles, according to Kemble, but that slipped, and it has been closer to about 90% over the last few years.
“That’s a bit low for the kind of immunity that we want to see to protect the entire community,” she said.
The decline began before the COVID-19 pandemic, and before major vaccine schedule changes made under U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic who continues to pursue a long-discredited theory that vaccines cause autism.
The U.S. is also poised to lose its elimination status for measles, which it has held since 2000, due to the transmission of measles for more than 12 straight months.
Hawaii, as part of the West Coast Health Alliance, still recommends all of the vaccines under the prior Advisory Community on Immunization Practices schedule, in alignment with the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Kemble said the alarming rise in U.S. measles cases is one more reason to check immunization records to see if one is up to date on those two doses, especially for those traveling out of state.
In some cases, a child may be able to get that second dose before age 4, particularly if traveling to an area with measles circulating. For those who may not be able to find their immunization records, getting an extra booster in consultation with their physician does not hurt, she said.
Those planning to travel should check with their doctors on whether an additional or earlier dose of MMR is recommended.
Measles possible exposure sights
What you should know: The first symptoms typically show up 7-14 days after exposure, but can take as long as 21 days. The following is a list of possible measles exposure sites in late February, early March.
Oahu
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, “A” gates and baggage claim area, on Feb. 26, from 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m.; Terminal 1 check-in, security, and “A” gates on March 3, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; and “A” gates and baggage claim area on March 4, from 8:30 p.m.-11 p.m.
• Laie Mormon Temple, on Feb. 27, from 4:30 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Hawaii Island
• Hilo International Airport, gate areas, baggage claim, on March 3, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; and at the check-in, security, and gate areas on March 4, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Visitor Center, Welcome Center at Kilauea Military Camp, and other locations, on March 3, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Hilo Siam Thai restaurant, on March 3, 5 p.m.–9 p.m.
If you were at any of the locations on dates and times specified, watch for symptoms until three weeks after potential exposure. Contact your doctor if you notice symptoms of measles.
The MMR vaccine may prevent or lessen the severity of measles if given within 72 hours of exposure. Immune globulin also may prevent or lessen the severity of measles if given within 6 days of exposure.
Questions? Contact the Hawaii Department of Health Disease Reporting Line at 808-586-4586.
Source: Hawaii Department of Health, Hawai‘i Volcanos National Park
I live in New York City. My 30-year-old son, Alec, lives across the country in Southern California. When I visit, I respect that he has his own busy, adult life. While I’d like nothing more than to spend every minute with him, I’m proud of his independence and try not to monopolize his time.
Alec has a roommate and no space for an overnight guest. When I’m on his home turf, I stay in a hotel or with a friend.
When he comes to NYC for the holidays, his schedule is packed. Plus, with the entire family under one roof, it can be tough to carve out one-on-one time.
I don’t feel shut out of Alec’s life, but I do miss spending quality time with him, so I floated the idea of a mother-son vacation.
He set a few ground rules before we started planning
Alec was vocal that for our getaway to work, we’d need to approach it as equals. This may sound deceptively simple, but it took lots of self-control on my part.
Little kids and I pair like milk and cookies. I did my graduate studies in early childhood education and taught preschool for years. Parenting young kids is never easy, but it felt instinctive. It grew harder as my children grew older.
Alec is my firstborn, and my parental grip was tightest around him. When he was a teenager, he told me I didn’t understand that teens needed autonomy. At the time, he was correct, but over the years, I’ve worked hard to pacify my bossy instincts.
This time, I would welcome his voice in planning our vacation.
Alec brought up another rule: that part of being equal should include sharing expenses. I gifted Alec his airline ticket using miles, and we split additional expenses.
Choosing a destination
Alec had four days off work over Memorial Day Weekend. I advocated for a location that wasn’t too hot, as I had suffered a bout of heatstroke in Greece last summer. A yoga class nearby would be a bonus.
Alec made a case for Hawaii. He’d never been, but its laidback reputation appealed to him. He said he wanted to destress at a resort and eat poke every day.
Hawaii is special to me. I first visited when I was a kid, spending a summer at my aunt and uncle’s home in Waianae on Oahu. The idea of sharing Hawaii with Alec was exciting.
From a practical point of view, Hawaii made sense. There are numerous nonstop flights from LAX, Alec’s home airport. I was going to be in Denver for work, so I was already heading in a westerly direction.
Courtesy of Allison Tibaldi
Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own flavor. We had lots of options and weren’t quite sure how to narrow them down.
Alec is a fan of the television cooking show “Top Chef.” During his online research, he learned that former contestant Sheldon Simeon was scheduled to be the visiting chef at the Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay on the island’s North Shore on the Saturday night of our trip.
The Hawaiian-born chef would be preparing a multi-course dinner using island-grown ingredients. I’m all about exploring local culture through food, so it seemed like a jackpot for both of us.
After we booked the dinner, we figured it made sense to stay at the Ritz-Carlton.
Balancing time together and separately was key
Another boundary we set for our vacation was balancing time together with time apart.
Each morning, Alec surfed, and I swam laps in the pool. I signed up for a lei-making workshop while he attended a tennis clinic.
In a perfect world, we would have reserved individual rooms; however, we shared a room for economic reasons.
We were still able to maintain boundaries and give each other privacy as our room had a comfortable ocean-view patio, perfect for reading and relaxing.
Meaningful conversations are what stand out
Time together sparked the meaningful conversations and connection I had longed for.
On May 24, I mentioned that it was my beloved dad’s heavenly birthday. Alec shared tender memories of his grandpa and told me that my dad had been a father figure for him, too, teaching him lessons that continue to impact his life. It made me teary.
We also had an intelligent discussion on income inequality. Alec overheard a group of vacationing doctors and a group of vacationing teachers chatting in the Jacuzzi. He said the doctors worked very long hours without complaint, while the teachers complained nonstop about their overwhelming workload. This led to a conversation between Alec and me about teachers being underpaid and undervalued.
As a former teacher, I found that my son’s thinking about socio-economic issues that hit so close to home really resonated with me.
Our mother-son vacation brought us closer
Our mother-son vacation was a success. Alec ate plenty of poke. I got to practice yoga. Together, we swam in the Pacific, walked trails surrounded by gardenias, and enjoyed a delectable Hawaiian dinner.
As much as I loved our activities, it’s the memories of our personal and poignant conversations that are etched in my heart.
I can’t wait to travel with Alec again.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A state senator is challenging the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ (DLNR) decision to extend the deadline for the Puuhonua O Waianae (POW) encampment at Waianae Boat Harbor.
It comes as state and community leaders continue efforts to relocate residents to a permanent site.
The deadline was originally set for the end of June and has been pushed to Oct. 16.
State Sen. Samantha DeCorte said the extension marks the third delay in the relocation process since the original notice to vacate was issued last year. The initial deadline was Nov. 27, 2025, followed by extensions to April 30 and June 25 before the most recent extension.
DeCorte criticized the repeated delays during a press conference on Saturday.
“We are calling on DLNR Acting Chair Ryan Kanakaole, members of Puuhonua O Waianae, and the governor’s office to do what they said they would do. Complete the transition, honor the commitment, and bring this process to a close. After 20 years, another extension is not the solution,” DeCorte said.
She added concerns remain around public safety near the harbor, including reports of vandalism involving fishing equipment and conditions she says affect families and students traveling through the area.
“Fishermen have dealt with vandalism (and) theft of their equipment. Public safety concerns have persisted, and kids have to walk past unsafe conditions just to get to school.”
DLNR said the extension is intended to provide additional time for the relocation of the POW community to a nearly 20-acre site in Waianae Valley, while construction continues at the mauka housing development.
Kanakaole said in an email sent to DeCorte Friday that POW requested a deadline extension to vacate by the end of November, and the department, along with the governor’s office, reached an agreement on the October move-out deadline.
“DLNR, POW, and the Governor’s Office worked through what remains to be completed and established a reasonable timeline tied to actual relocation, cleanup, and closure activities and to provide for the most orderly and voluntary transition, which will ultimately lead to a solution that will last,” Kanakaole’s email said in part.
He added that more than 100 people remain at the site and POW leaders said that number should substantially reduce over the next several weeks, “potentially by nearly half within the next month.”
Read Kanakaole’s full email to DeCorte here.
The agency said it is coordinating with community leaders to ensure residents can relocate safely and to support cleanup and transition efforts at the harbor.
The relocation site has been part of a long-term plan tied to the late community leader Twinkle Borge, who envisioned moving families from the harbor into permanent housing.
Community leaders with Puuhonua O Waianae said the process remains complex and cannot be completed immediately.
Kala Paishon, a community leader with the encampment, said some residents are still unable to move because housing units at the new site are not yet complete. He also said limited transportation and volunteer support make moving difficult for some families.
“We do have some people that volunteer their time to help our people move. We’re limited on our vehicles, but we do what we got to do to move the people up there,” Paishon said.
He added that many residents have deep ties to the harbor after years of living there.
“Some people have been here 10-plus years,” Paishon said. “This is the memory they have, and this is where they felt like home.”
Paishon also said crews are working to gradually transition residents while maintaining cleanup efforts at the site.
“We’re making sure everybody moves up there safely… at the same time, we’re still cleaning up our opala down here.”
DLNR said it continues to work with community leaders and the governor’s office to move the relocation process forward in the coming months.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Hawaii
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Responds to Senate Bill Involving Pōhakuloa – Big Island Video News
(BIVN) – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) says it is in alignment with provisions in the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act dealing with military-leased lands in Hawaiʻi, including the Pōhakuloa Training Area.
In a news release, OHA said it is encouraged by the bill’s “clear movement away from condemnation and toward negotiated solutions” for the approximately 19,700 acres of state lands at Pōhakuloa, and 450 acres at Kahuku. “The process outlined is consistent with OHA’s long-standing position opposing condemnation – whether forcible or ‘friendly’ – and insisting that lands held in public trust remain in the public trust and continue benefiting Native Hawaiians and future generations of Hawaiʻi’s people.”
The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee recently passed the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA. The bill is expected to advance to the full United States Senate for consideration by the end of July 2026, OHA says.
In a June 12th news release, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D, Hawaiʻi) said she voted against the NDAA. Hirono is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Ranking Member of the Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee.
“I’m proud to have secured numerous provisions in the Senate’s FY27 NDAA that invest in military readiness, Hawaii, the Indo-Pacific Region, and our servicemembers and their families, while also holding the Army accountable on the military training land lease negotiations,” Hirono stated at the time. “However, I could not in good conscience vote to advance a bill that paves the way for an up to 40% increase in year-over-year Department of Defense spending, especially as this administration wages an illegal war in Iran with no plan or end in sight.”
Hirono said the bill “directs the Secretary of the Army to seek from the State of Hawaii, on terms acceptable to both the Army and the State, a renewal of expiring training land leases. As part of this, requires the Army to expeditiously resubmit their Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for the leased lands and address deficiencies identified by the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources.”
OHA noted Section 2864 of the NDAA also requires a report to Congress on the steps and proposals taken to advance lease renewals, within 60 days from the NDAA’s enactment.
“The Senate Armed Services Committee’s action reflects meaningful progress in acknowledging Hawaiʻi’s unique legal and cultural context,” stated OHA chair Kaialiʻi Kahele. “The removal of condemnation as an option and the requirement for renewed environmental review are consistent with what OHA has long advocated – that these lands must not be permanently alienated and that Hawaiʻi’s concerns must be fully addressed in good faith. Congress appears willing to respect Hawaiʻi’s laws and institutions. The opportunity before us now is to fully embrace the responsibilities and authorities those laws entrust to us. OHA will continue to ensure Native Hawaiian rights and public trust responsibilities remain central to any future decisions.”
OHA has been holding high-level meetings in Washington, D.C. concerning the military lease renewals.
OHA says it is also actively moving forward with a comprehensive Ka Paʻakai Analysis for Pōhakuloa Training Area. “The Board of Trustees has already approved a Permitted Interaction Group allocation of $60,000 to support this work, and OHA is finalizing a memorandum of understanding with DLNR to complete the work,” the Office stated. The analysis “will help create a more complete record of the cultural, historical, and community connections to these lands, providing decision makers with information necessary to evaluate potential impacts, identify appropriate protections, and fulfill their responsibilities under Hawaiʻi law.”
From the OHA news release:
OHA also notes that the NDAA contemplates the pursuit of future lease arrangements pursuant to Section 2667 of Title 10, United States Code. As discussions continue regarding potential lease terms, community benefit commitments, land-back and lease-back models, and other components of any future agreement, OHA believes those arrangements must remain consistent with Hawaiʻi’s environmental laws and public trust obligations. Any benefits derived from renewed use of these lands should reinforce the purposes of the public trust, protect traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices, honor the history and significance of these lands, and preserve the value they were intended to provide for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and future generations of Hawaiʻi’s people.
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