Maui Memorial personnel staff a screening tent outside the emergency room Wednesday afternoon. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

As coronavirus cases linked to Maui Memorial Medical Center continued to rise, an online petition called for the ouster of top officials with the island’s main hospital over allegations that their COVID-19 policies are “dangerous” and “abusive.”

The change.org petition seeks the immediate resignation of four hospital leaders, citing staff concerns over insufficient personal protective equipment, changing safety protocols and the fostering of an environment of fear and retaliation against workers.

Started by Aaron Bear, an ICU nurse who’s worked at the hospital for 11 years, the petition had more than 1,000 signatures on Saturday night. Bear has been outspoken about safety concerns but has said that other staffers are afraid to come forward due to possible retaliation.

Several state and local government leaders also have been vocal about the need for greater transparency and trust from the hospital’s administration.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Health reported Saturday that another 10 workers have tested positive for COVID-19 at Maui Memorial Medical Center. That makes 29 positive tests at the hospital.

However, some of the infections appear to be separate introductions and not necessarily part of a cluster of hospital / health care-associated infections, state health officials said.

The state Health Department emphasized that the cluster of cases is not a hospital-wide issue at this time but involves at least two wards with the Chronic Care Ward as the major focus, according to Hawaii COVID-19 Joint Information Center spokesman Dan Dennison.

Dennison said that as of Saturday, 90 staff and 36 patients have been screened and had a swab specimen collected for testing. The hospital on Friday said it had tested 126 patients, caregivers and physicians last week, and that results for 24 had come back while 63 were still pending. A spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about the discrepancy in numbers.

The initial cluster that started last month of 15 employees was disclosed by the hospital via Facebook on Wednesday. Since then, increased testing has been done and additional hospital cases have been reported daily.

The online petition calls for the resignation of hospital leaders Michael Rembis, chief executive officer; Debbie Walsh, chief operation officer; Gary Kienbaum, chief nurse executive; and Lisa Paulson, director of strategic communications.

“The named above have and continue to implement abusive and dangerous policies putting both health care staff and the Maui community at risk during the COVID-19 health crisis,” the petition says.

Hospital administration has said that policies have changed because the Centers for Disease Control and Administration guidelines have evolved, and the hospital takes its directives from CDC.

“We have done everything it takes to make sure our employees are safe,” Rembis told The Maui News this week.

Kaiser-affiliated Maui Health System operates Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital, Lanai Community Hospital and associated clinics.

Council Member Tamara Paltin said that Maui Health System leadership should have been more proactive. She also said that health care workers need more protection and that the hospital needs more transparency.

State DOH Director Bruce Anderson expressed concerns last week over equipment and infection protocols that may have contributed to the initial MMMC cluster.

“Maui Memorial has, I think, had some issues there, and I think that might’ve contributed to the outbreak,” Anderson said during a news conference on Wednesday.

Also, South Maui State Rep. Tina Wildberger sent a letter to Rembis and Walsh on Thursday, seeking greater transparency from Maui Health. She told MauiTime that management is asking for “tens of millions of dollars” from the state Legislature and the hospital must protect its “employee taxpayers.”