KCH to Reinstate Visitor Restrictions in Emergency Department

Kona Community Hospital is reinstituting visitor restrictions to its emergency department due to the rise in COVID-19 positive patients seeking treatment at the facility.

The restrictions will go into effect starting Saturday, July 24, KCH officials announced Thursday, July 22. No visitors will be allowed into the ED. All other hospital units will continue limited visitation.

“We are averaging three to six positive patients in the ED daily,” KCH officials stated. “The majority of these patients are under 30 years of age and are unvaccinated.”

Currently, KCH is treating one COVID-19 patient in the Med Surge acute care unit. As of June 22, 2021, a cumulative total of eight deaths have occurred in the hospital.

The reinstated restrictions come just about four months after KCH officials expanded the number of visitors allowed at the facility.

In addition, the COVID-19 Screening Station is being relocated to the entrance of the Emergency Department. All visitors must check in at this station.

Like Hilo Medical Center, KCH has seen a significant increase in COVID-19 positive patients coming through to their emergency department.

Seventy-eight percent of KCH staff are fully vaccinated. As of July 22, the state is at a 59.5% vaccination rate.

Current vaccination sites in Hawai‘i County can be found on the Hawai‘i County COVID-19 Vaccine Summary webpage. This site is updated regularly. In addition to vaccine locator information, it contains lots of useful VOVID-19 data and info.

KTA has launched a homebound vaccination program. Providers can refer a patient by visiting this link: https://form.jotform.com/211115745590149.