Hawaii lab can now test for coronavirus

State officials said today a woman was tested for coronavirus in Hawaii after she showed mild cold-like symptoms while in the islands.

Test results showed the person, who was exposed to a case of coronavirus in Northern California, only has the common cold.

The woman, a healthcare worker, had treated a person in California who was later diagnosed with coronavirus, also known as COVID-19 Opens in a new tab. She was tested this morning at the state laboratory.

Gov. David Ige spoke about the incident during a news conference today.

“The state does now have the capacity to test for COVID-19 here in Hawaii,” he said.

Until today, state officials couldn’t test for COVID-19 in the islands because the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent faulty test kits Opens in a new tab.