Lt. Gov. Josh Green Tests Positive For COVID-19
Green was tested earlier Friday after a member of his office was confirmed to have the virus.
Lt. Gov. Josh Green 鈥 who has helped lead the state鈥檚 fight against COVID-19 鈥 tested positive for coronavirus Friday night, he .
The news comes following revelations that a deputy sheriff assigned to Green鈥檚 protective unit also tested positive for COVID-19. The Public Safety Department said the deputy last worked on Tuesday.
After receiving the positive results, Green said he would quarantine in his downtown Honolulu condominium separate from his family. Green鈥檚 14 other staffers are also self-isolating and seeking testing.
In an interview Friday night, Green urged residents to take the virus seriously.
鈥淛ust please everybody be thoughtful about who you鈥檙e around and how quickly you can spread disease. I鈥檓 50 years old and pretty strong and healthy, but it鈥檚 a worry. The mortality rate is 1%.
鈥淭hat means it鈥檚 very real. It鈥檚 much higher for our kupuna. I鈥檓 thanking God I wasn鈥檛 with my aunties or my mom or my dad these last few days. Wear a mask and take this seriously,鈥 Green told HNN.
He added that his 鈥渂est guess鈥 is he caught it from the member of his security detail, whose wife also tested positive. He said he “might not have been tested had I not found out they tested positive.鈥
Green added that he currently feels fine, but is monitoring his symptoms.
In addition to Green鈥檚 14 staffers, five Honolulu radio station employees he was in contact with Friday morning and people he interacted with during his hospital shift at Kohala Hospital over the weekend have been notified and will be quarantined and tested. He said he has had no close contact with the governor or with other administration officials and did not believe they would need to be tested.
Green鈥檚 office announced he was being tested earlier Friday along with his staff members. As an emergency room doctor, Green said he has previously been tested for COVID-19.
But he is by far the highest-ranking official in Hawaii to test positive for the virus.
Mayor Kirk Caldwell had a COVID-19 scare last month after a member of his office tested positive. But Caldwell said he hadn鈥檛 had much contact with the person and the mayor subsequently tested negative.
