Though DOH confirmed the first case “at least a couple of weeks ago,” the head of the Public Housing Authority said he was first informed Monday.
The new report conflicts with a federal analysis that found no evidence of the toxin on the island.
One community leader told a local paper that three Marshallese people have died of the virus in Dubuque County.
In many Western states, as well as Arkansas which has a large Marshallese population, these communities have virus rates that far exceed their share of the population.
The state’s huge backlog of jobless claims has left many waiting weeks for benefits. For some, the loss of work has derailed dreams for starting over.
UPDATED: The state’s coronavirus case count remains at 620, after the Department of Health removed two duplicate cases on Maui and in Honolulu.
The LAist reported Pacific Islanders’ coronavirus death rate is 12 times higher than the rate for white Los Angeles residents.
The state health director said Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders have the highest rate of COVID-19 in the state, but that’s not apparent from data posted on the state’s website.
More than 60 nonprofits want the state to expand its safety net to help immigrants and other marginalized groups.