Report: Hilo veterans home employee stayed on the job for 3 days after COVID-19 exposure

The coronavirus outbreak at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo is believed to have started with an employee who continued to work despite being linked to a large cluster. A report from the state Health Department, released following a month-long inspection, highlighted the facility’s failure to maintain an infection prevention and control program. This failure was evidenced by a lack of social distancing and poor personal protective equipment (PPE) protocol.

The outbreak, which began in August, has affected 71 residents and 35 employees, resulting in 27 resident deaths. While Utah-based Avalon Healthcare is no longer managing the home, the impact of its oversight remains severe. Attorney Jeffrey Foster, representing two families in wrongful death cases against the home, described the report as revealing a “systemic failure at every level.”

Foster Law Offices plans to file additional lawsuits in the coming weeks. Despite the findings, Avalon disagreed with the report and noted that the Department of Health unpublished the report to make clarifications. The state stands by the facts found in the investigation, emphasizing the need for improved safety measures in long-term care facilities.