Maui Health Update: 45 Confirmed Cases Since Thursday

Maui Health today confirmed nine more COVID-19 positive cases, bringing the total cases since Thursday at the Maui facility to 45.  This includes 24 patients and 21 health care workers.

The workers were identified through testing done on 637 employees.  Those tests were returned with 602 negative results, 21 positive and 14 pending.

Tracy Dallarda, Communications for Maui Health / Maui Memorial Medical Center said one-time testing of all patients, employees and providers continues.

“The purpose of this testing is to understand the prevalence of the virus in our hospital. Because our patients, employees, and providers are a direct reflection of our community, it will also provide a valuable estimate of viral incidence on Maui and help identify symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals and allow us to further isolate, quarantine, and limit further transmission.”

The state has reported another triple digit increase in new COVID-19 cases with 261 new cases today including 233 on Oʻahu, 21 on Maui and seven on Hawaiʻi Island.  State Health officials say the new cases across the state today include 91 cases that were backlogged due to lab issues on the mainland. 

In addition to the hospital grouping, the state Department of Health says they are also tracking other clusters on the island including small clusters arising from activity at a construction site and another cluster involving residents of Maui who attended a party on Oʻahu.

Below is an interview Maui Now conducted yesterday (Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020) with Dr. Michael Shea, Intensivist and EOC Physician Lead at Maui Health.  He answered questions regarding protocols, testing, contact tracing and critical capacity.

He also explained the suspected source of infection saying, “The index cases appear to be an employee and a patient and both appear to have come from the community.”

He said contingency plans are in place should hospital staffing become an issue: “So we have to use contingency staffing.  We’re the only hospital on the island.  It’s not like there are other hospitals that can lend us staff easily.  We have agreements with contingency companies.  Some of those staff are already on island, and so we’re renewing their contract.  When necessary, we do have the ability to get additional staffing here within, I’ve been told 72 hours, and of course we would test them prior to allowing them to work.”

The full interview is posted below:

https://www.facebook.com/mauinow/videos/1614488105380796/