Hilo Medical Center reported late Thursday that a total of 18 people have died from COVID-19, an increase of two from Wednesday.  All but one person were residents at the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home.

Sixteen COVID-19 patients are in Hilo Medical Center, four in the ICU, and 11 in the COVID Unit, plus one in isolation at the hospital’s Extended Care Facility.

At this point, 61 people are residents at the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home and 29 of them have COVID-19 in isolation at the Home.  Four residents are at Hilo Medical Center.

On September 6, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz asked the Veterans Administration Secretary Robert Wilke to send assistance to the home, with a letter to both him and to Gov. David Ige, urging Ige to also request assistance.  Initially Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said Schatz “needed to do his homework,” and that help was not needed, but Kim is now embracing the help.  The VA sent an investigation team and now a medical support team is on island to assist the staff.  Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Director Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara said the VA was sending a team of about 20, including nurses, medical technicians, sanitation specialists, and more.

The update from Hilo Medical Center, which includes a link to the most recent Virtual Town Hall with HMC CEO Dan Brinkman.

HILO MEDICAL CENTER UPDATE (as of 4:30 pm on Thursday, September 17, 2020)

• 16 total COVID-positive patients are hospitalized: 4 in ICU, 11 in COVID Unit, 1 in Extended Care Facility

o   Another round of COVID tests for Extended Care Facility staff and residents was completed today. Follow-up testing to be conducted next week.

o   Admissions to our Extended Care Facility remain paused until the situation is resolved.

• 1 death related to COVID-19 occurred at the hospital on September 8, 2020. This death is unrelated to Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home.

 

YUKIO OKUTSU STATE VETERANS HOME UPDATE (as of 4:30 pm on Thursday, September 17, 2020, reported by Avalon Healthcare, the veterans home’s managing company)

• 61 total residents are currently at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home
• 29 total residents are receiving care in the home’s COVID designated area
• 4 residents are hospitalized at Hilo Medical Center
• 17 total resident deaths related to COVID-19 have occurred. We offer our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones.

o   2 deaths to report today (Thursday) related to COVID-19 at the veterans home

• 19 residents and 7 employees have recovered
• A total of 69 residents and 30 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in this outbreak
• For additional information, go to: https://ahcupdates.info/hilo-covid19-update

 

CHECK OUT: East Hawaii Region Fact Sheet on testing, beds, ventilators, and PPE resources (as of Friday, September 11)

 

o   18 total deaths related to COVID-19 have occurred – 17 from the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home and 1 unrelated to the veterans home.

o   Hilo Medical Center: Patients hospitalized with COVID-19: 16

 

VIRTUAL CEO TOWN HALL ON HOSPITAL RESPONSE AND PREPARATION COVID-19

• WATCH: Past virtual CEO town halls on our Hilo Medical Center YouTube Channel.