HONOLULU (KHON2) — In September, the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) investigated two COVID clusters associated with a restaurant and entertainment venue on Oahu.

According to the DOH, four out of the 31 employees at an Oahu restaurant tested positive for COVID — three were unvaccinated and one was fully vaccinated. No secondary cases have been identified, and there were no hospitalizations.

The three unvaccinated employees tested positive after the required weekly testing and were asymptomatic at the time. All four had overlapping shifts; three worked the restaurant’s front of the house. While one employee was at work while contagious, no cases have other sources of infection.

The DOH reported the restaurant closed for 26 days.

The second cluster of COVID cases was reported in connection to an entertainment venue on Oahu. According to the DOH, 13 out of 120 employees tested positive for the coronavirus — out of the 13, five were fully vaccinated and the other eight were not. Three secondary cases were identified from household members — two were fully vaccinated. None of the 16 associated cases were hospitalized.

Three employees carpooled to a testing site together and tested positive, prompting a DOH investigation. Two were unvaccinated and asymptomatic as they went to get tested for the required weekly testing. The third employee involved was fully vaccinated and got tested due to having symptoms.

Upon further investigation, the DOH found that 10 other employees tested positive during an event. While the owner said 71% of the establishment’s employees were fully vaccinated, social distancing was not enforced and masks were not worn in the dressing room or during performances.

Employees also reported socializing outside of work with no social distancing or masks, as well as admitted to sharing vapes and cigarettes during breaks, the DOH said. The business was closed for five days.

On Monday, Sept. 13, the City and County of Honolulu implemented the Safe Access Program. It required all employees of restaurants, bars, gyms and other establishments to provide proof of full COVID vaccination or take weekly tests. To view DOH’s full cluster report, click here.