BREAKING: “CLUSTER” OF 15 EMPLOYEES WITH COVID-19 AT MAUI HOSPITAL

https://www.facebook.com/128039724866/videos/216943759630453/

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino this morning announced a cluster of approximately 15 employees at the Maui Memorial Medical Center have tested positive for COVID-19.

“I was informed this morning that a cluster of COVID-19 cases has been identified and involve hospital staff at Maui Memorial Medical Center. These employees were immediately sent home to self-isolate and plans are moving forward to transport these workers to a quarantine site away from their families,” said Mayor Victorino in a statement.

Mayor Victorino said he is working to expedite testing at the facility.

“We also are working very closely with Maui Health System, the State Department of Health and others to accelerate testing for additional hospital workers this afternoon. Gov. David Ige has assured me that he will do everything he can to expedite test results,” said Mayor Victorino.

“I want to mahalo everyone who is on the front lines of this pandemic. These are difficult times for all of us and we are taking immediate action to assist our healthcare workers. The County will be redirecting any available personal protective equipment to the hospital for their staff.  We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the health and safety of everyone in Maui County,” he said.

Maui Health CEO Mike Rembis said as soon as the employees exhibited symptoms, they were furloughed and removed from workplace.

“They were not positive at the time we believe when they were working.  But they were furloughed; they were tested; and they are positive.  We are taking an abundance of caution.  When anyone shows symptoms that could be related to covid-19, we’re furloughing them and asking them to go home, shelter themselves, and take care of themselves; and ensuring that they’re all tested,” said Rembis.

Because of the cluster, Maui Health executives say they are going to work with the Department of Health even closer than they were before to see if there’s any other employees that need to be furloughed or tested.

Rembis said he is working to make sure that Maui Health provides “a safe environment for our employees, our physicians and most importantly the patients and the community we serve.”

Maui Mayor Michael Victorino is urging the public to comply with stay-at-home and work-from-home orders.

“Again, we ask you to stay home and work from home.  Protect Maui County as best you can. It is up to us.  (If) we work together, we will be able to achieve what we hope to achieve is the softening of the curve–the lowering of the curve and eventually, maybe stopping this entirely,” Mayor Victorino said during an earlier announcement.  “But this doesn’t happen if we continue to walk around, run around or play around like we have.  We cannot. We need to stop, and we need to stop now.”

*Video Courtesy County of Maui / Akakū