Contact Tracing on Maui Expands, 12 Workers Trained Through UH to Join Team in September

The Maui District Health Office and Hawaiʻi National Guard are expanding contact tracing capacity for COVID-19 cases in Maui County.

Currently, the Maui District Health Office has 24 staff and public health nurses to conduct contact tracing. The Hawaiʻi National Guard has provided an additional 28 personnel to assist with investigations.  Supervisors say the tracers have made more than 1200 calls in the past week.

Public Health Nursing Supervisor Heidi Taogoshi with the Maui District Health Office discussed contact tracing efforts during a press conference on Wednesday. “I just want to say that Maui County is not overwhelmed.  We continue to act upon positive cases immediately upon notification of that case,” she said.

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will also be providing its auditorium, two offices and parking spaces for expansion of contact tracing and operations. Under the partnership, the college also will be providing phones and computers to investigators, along with access to the facilities on holidays and weekends.  About a dozen workers trained through the UH system will also join the group beginning in early September.

“We continue to support the Maui District Health Office and Dr. Lorrin Pang in their tireless efforts to keep our community safe,” Mayor Michael Victorino said. “Dr. Pang’s staff have done a tremendous job contact tracing and investigating cases throughout Maui County. We also are grateful to Task Force Maui Commander Col. Tyson Tahara and all our Hawaiʻi National Guardsmen for their service to our community.”