Coronavirus in Hawai‘i: Maui Confirms Second Death As Maui Memorial Medical Center Announces 15 Employee Cases

Your daily update of everything you need to know related to COVID-19 on April 8.

April 8, 2020

Stacey Makiya,

Maui Memorial Medical Center

Photo: Courtesy of Maui Health

A sixth person has died and there are 25 new COVID-19 cases statewide, including 14 residents and five visitors. The remaining six cases are being investigated.

Maui Memorial Medical Center confirms 15 employees tested positive for COVID-19. According to Hawai‘i Health Department Director Bruce Anderson, all cases are linked to the hospital, but they are not new and were reported last month. Traveling nurses and extra medical assistance will be brought in to fill in vacancies and support hospital needs.

Contact testing for COVID-19 will now include individuals who are symptomatic and asymptomatic after being in close contact with positive cases. This new effort aims to help trace and track the spread of the virus in the community. Health care workers and first responders are top priorities for testing.

Hospital statistics related to COVID-19 include: 47% of hospital beds currently occupied; 97 ICU beds, out of 338, are in use; and out of the 535 available ventilators, 470 are available.

With nearly 190,000 residents losing their jobs, Gov. David Ige signed a proclamation that is aimed to bring economic relief and stabilization to the state. The Hawai‘i Economic and Community Recovery and Resilience Plan will be helmed by former HECO President Alan Oshima. Oshima will work with government, business and nonprofit representatives to develop and carry out government outreach programs.

Several nonprofits, private and state agencies have come together to help the homeless community. People can now donate homemade masks and other forms of unopened personal protective to Kroc Center in Kapolei, Key Project in Kahalu‘u and YMCA in Kalihi. For exact dates and times visit bhhsurg.hawaii.gov.

Costco grants first responders and health care workers first access to its warehouses. Police officers, fire fighters and EMS, along with other frontline workers, can move to the front of any entry line by showing their membership cards and official IDs.

Officers of DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement cite 34 people statewide for breaking state park rules and Ige’s stay-at-home orders. On O‘ahu, the most citations were given at Sacred Falls State Park, which has been closed since 1999, and Diamond Head State Monument.