Second Wave of Relief Workers Arrive at HMC

A second wave of relief workers, specialized in caring for COVID patients, arrived Monday, Aug. 30, from across the country to Hilo Medical Center.

COVID-19 hopitalizations continue to inundate the East Hawaiʻi facility with 10 patients currently in the ICU and 28 in the COVID unit. HMC officials say they are caring for a total of 17 ICU patients, beyond the hospital’s 11-bed capacity.

On Monday, Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency reported 1,898 active COVID-19 cases with 78 persons hospitalized.

Additional staffing to HMC as well as Kona Community Hospital was funded by Federal Emergency Management Agency. The first wave of health care workers arrived at the hospitals on Aug. 16.

Thirty-three critical care nurses and three respiratory therapists went to KCH. Eleven nurses and one respiratory tech, specializing in caring for COVID patients, have been put to work at HMC.

Approximately 14 additional health care workers arrived at HMC on Monday.