Maui Hospital Cluster Grows to 41

Cluster Investigation Continues at Maui Memorial Medical Center

The cluster of COVID-19 positive cases at Maui Memorial Medical Center has increased to 41 individuals.  State Health officials say these cases are under investigation as potentially associated with the cluster identified at the hospital and includes 26 staff members, 14 patients and one undetermined.

The main cluster involves at least 15 staff and eight patients.

A total of 195 healthcare personnel and 93 patients have been tested as part of this investigation.

While test results for possible new exposures are pending, state health officials say that “the implementation of extensive infection control measures throughout MMMC, reduces concerns for new transmissions events at the facility.”

Hale Makua Health Reports Third COVID-19 Positive Case

Meantime, there was a third COVID-19 positive case associated with Hale Makua Health Services confirmed on Thursday.  The latest case involves a home health patient who is asymptomatic and at a quarantine center.  The two earlier cases involved a home health patient, and a nursing home resident at the Kahului facility, who tested positive but is asymptomatic and recovering.

COVID-19 Investigations in Wahiawa, O‘ahu

Two healthcare workers at Wahiawa General Hospital Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on O‘ahu have tested positive for COVID-19. The cases appear to be unrelated to each other, as well as a past case that occurred in late March. Given the two recent cases occurred within a week of each other, DOH cannot exclude possible association at this time. 12 people associated with the pair of cases have tested negative for the virus. Infection control measures and monitoring by the facility’s infection control preventionist is continuing. At the Wahiawa Center for Community Health, two healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19. DOH has reports of a third worker at the center who had been hospitalized, but it appears that the person was likely exposed while traveling out-of-state, has not had exposure with the other two people, and has not been at work since returning to Hawai‘i.

Kona Restaurant Cases

There is one new positive case associated with the cluster among the McDonald’s restaurants in Kailua-Kona, bringing that cluster to 13. Another employee at the Walmart location has tested positive. DOH is continuing to monitor employees and family members, all of whom are in isolation or quarantine. Both restaurants (at Kona Commons and at Walmart in Kailua-Kona) are temporarily closed. The state Department of Health says, “there is low-risk to the public, as only workers or their family members were identified as close contacts.”

Household Surveys Planned on Kaua‘i

DOH’s Kaua‘i District Health Office will conduct a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response, known as a CASPER survey, to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Kaua‘i households.

Survey teams will go door-to-door, April 22-24, to 30 census tracts that are weighted towards more populated areas within the county. Seven houses within each tract will be systematically selected and surveyed.

Survey teams are comprised of DOH staff with support from the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency, Kaua‘i Medical Reserve Corps, and the American Red Cross. Teams will be wearing personal protective equipment and social distancing will be observed.

Participating households can complete the survey over the phone, if preferred. Selected households will be asked about their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19, as well as the financial and mental health impacts on people in their households. Team members will have on vests identifying themselves as part of the DOH-CASPER survey team and will carry identification cards.

All survey responses are confidential, and names and addresses won’t be collected.