LIHUE — Residents at Hale Kupuna elderly home in Lawai had a flu outbreak recently that effected more than half of facility residents. State Epidemiologist Sarah Park, MD, FAAP, who is chief of the Disease Outbreak Control Division with the
LIHUE — Residents at Hale Kupuna elderly home in Lawai had a flu outbreak recently that effected more than half of facility residents.
State Epidemiologist Sarah Park, MD, FAAP, who is chief of the Disease Outbreak Control Division with the Hawaii Department of Health, confirmed that an outbreak had occurred in the early part of July. She said it was resolved late last week.
“A flu outbreak involving almost half of the residents at this nursing home was reported to us,” Park said. “Reportedly, all are recovering or have recovered, although five residents required hospitalization.”
Delores Ma, administrator for the Hale Kupuna elderly home properties, said they could not comment as site management at the elderly homes did not report an incidence of flu outbreak.
“Nobody reported it and no we have no information,” Ma said.
The Department of Health has not been apprised of any other flu activity in the Kauai area or in the rest of the state, Park said.
The elderly population is especially vulnerable to flu and immune systems with limited capacity have difficulty defending against the flu virus, Park said. Any outbreak in a facility of at-risk patients is of real concern.
“The introduction of pathogens such as flu can be more problematic for them than the regular community,” Park said.
Katie Gallo, spokeswoman for Hawaii Pacific Health, said there is not a flu outbreak reported in Kauai or Oahu hospitals.
“We haven’t seen any increase in our (flu) numbers at Wilcox Memorial Hospital,” Gallo said.
