Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth announced via Facebook today that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

“My kids were in town and one of them began to feel a little bit under the weather. So, we ended up getting tested. Although we tested negative, one of my family members tested positive, so we went back and got tested again. It’s a good thing that we did, because even though I was asymptomatic, I tested positive. My family’s been vaccinated, my wife and I (have gotten) our boosters. And we’re all doing great; in fact my wife didn’t even end up getting COVID at all,” Roth said.

He went on to encourage people to get vaccinated and also get their booster shots, adding that many COVID patients who are hospitalized haven’t been vaccinated.

“We need to make sure that … our hospitals have the capacity to treat people and not just those people with COVID.”

Roth’s accompanying Facebook post stated that he will be working from home for the next week, following to quarantine protocols.  

 “If you’re sick, stay home, mask up, distance when possible in this new year. Please gather outdoors, it’s really the safest place to be,” he advised.

“We’re all in this together, so let’s choose to remain positive, testing negative.