Kona Community Hospital is not a testing site despite reports from Hawaii County Civil Defense, Healthcare Association of Hawaii and the state Department of Health.
“We are NOT a testing site,” Judy Donovan, hospital spokeswoman, confirmed via text Tuesday morning while meeting with hospital leadership. The hospital is doing inpatient testing, but cannot offer outpatient testing due to concerns over access because of the narrowness of Haukapila Road and staff capacity.
At 10 a.m. Tuesday, Hawaii County Civil Defense sent an update regarding to COVID-19 testing on Hawaii Island, listing Kona Community Hospital, Hilo Medical Center and North Hawaii Community Hospital as testing facilities. The state Department of Health and Healthcare Association of Hawaii also posted the Kona hospital as a testing site.
Donovan confirmed on Monday and Tuesday that the Kona hospital is not a COVID-19 testing site.
Hilo Medical Center and North Hawaii Community Hospital are testing sites.
Richard Taafe, CEO of the West Hawaii Community Health Center, said the site is not a designated community-wide testing site.
West Hawaii Today will update this story as information becomes available.