Hilo Medical Center is reporting no new deaths from COVID-19 today, as of 4:30 p.m.  The facility has 17 COVID-19-positive patients today, an increase of 3 since yesterday.  Five patients are in the Intensive Care Unit, and 12 in the COVID-19 Unit.  All patients with COVID-19 are separated from other patients at HMC.

The update from Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home, as of 4:30 p.m. Friday Sept. 11, as reported by Avalon Healthcare, the veterans home’s managing company)

o   A total of 66 residents (out of 74) and 27 employees have tested positive for COVID-19

o   4 residents are hospitalized at Hilo Medical Center

o   35 total residents are cared for at the veterans home’s COVID designated area

o   17 residents and 5 employees have recovered

o   NO deaths to report today.

• 10 total resident deaths related to COVID-19 have occurred since Aug. 29

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz announced this morning that a team from the Veterans Administration is on its way to assist the Veterans Home.  The team will include an infectious disease physician, a facilities engineer who understands environmental air flow and AC systems, an infectious disease nurse specialist with expertise in running COVID-19 units, a safety officer, an industrial hygienist, and a nurse manager.   Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim said a physician from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency on O’ahu was here for at least two days to see what could be done to help.