19 outbreak of nearly half its patients : Big Island Now

Key Points:

• Honoka‘a Hospital is managing a COVID-19 outbreak in its long-term care unit, with 26 of 59 patients and 12 staff testing positive since cases were first identified on August 15, coinciding with Hurricane Lala’s impact on Hawai‘i Island.
• Despite the outbreak, no severe illnesses have been reported, and no cases have been detected in other hospital areas; the hospital is following CDC and CMS mitigation protocols including isolation, mask-wearing, and enhanced hygiene.
• The hospital faced challenges due to power outages and lab testing delays caused by the hurricane, leading to reliance on less accurate rapid tests to monitor the spread and isolate positive cases promptly.
• COVID-19 is considered endemic in the community, with increased cases noted recently on Hawai‘i Island; the hospital continues normal visitation but advises high-risk individuals to stay home for safety.
• The Hawai‘i Department of Health reports ongoing respiratory illness surveillance, emphasizing vaccination, staying home when sick, and mask use around others during illness, particularly to protect vulnerable populations from severe COVID-19 outcomes.