TheHandi-Van driver tests positive for COVID-19

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    O’AHU, HI (KITV) — O’ahu Transit Services, Inc. (OTS), the operator of TheBus and TheHandi-Van, confirmed Friday that one of its operators has tested positive for COVID-19.

Monday night, the operator found out a member of their household had tested positive for COVID-19 and informed OTS. Even though the operator did not have any symptoms while working, they were immediately placed on leave and quarantined.

Wednesday, the operator was tested for the virus, and received a positive result Thursday evening.

OTS says passengers and employees have been notified, but they haven’t found any prolonged close contact.

The Department of Health (DOH) says the risk of exposure to passengers ‘appears to be low,’ but they are recommending that passengers monitor their health — watch for symptoms, and seek testing if necessary.

The Handi-Van vehicle the infected employee was driving has since been disinfected and cleaned.

OTS says all buses and vans are continuously disinfected daily, and all drivers are temperature checked before their shifts.

The city continues to remind the public that only essential trips should be taken on public transit, and that wearing a face mask or covering is required.

“One protocol that we added about a week ago, week and a half ago was mandatory temperature checks for all employees. In this case this individual did have a temperature thermal and was not feverish in fact I think since we’ve been doing this we’ve had one employee with a temperature above our standard of 100.4,” President and General Manager of O’ahu Transit Services Roger Morton said.

The company also contacted the eight passengers with whom the driver had interacted.
KITV4 was told he is currently at home under quarantine.

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