The recent surge in COVID-19 cases is sending even more COVID-positive patients to Maui Memorial Medical Center than at the height of the pandemic last year, taxing exhausted health care workers and filling hospital beds. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

Hawaii’s second wave of COVID-19 cases is sending a record number of COVID-19 patients to Maui County’s main hospital — exceeding the first wave of COVID-19 cases last year.

Maui Memorial Medical Center, the island’s only acute-care facility, was treating 40 COVID-19 patients on Sunday, 39 COVID-19 patients on Monday and 31 COVID-19 patients on Tuesday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

The previous single-day record for COVID-19 patients being treated at the hospital was 31 on Aug. 28, 2020, during the first wave of COVID-19, Maui Health spokeswoman Tracy Dallarda told The Maui News on Tuesday.

“This particular surge, we are caring for more COVID patients than we ever have during the pandemic,” she said. “They’re younger and they’re sicker.”

While Maui Memorial is “very busy” and COVID-19 patients are taking a toll on the hospital, the facility is not at capacity and could expand from the existing 219 beds to nearly 300 beds if needed.

“It’s something we haven’t done and something we really don’t want to have to do,” said Maui Health System CEO Michael Rembis during the county news conference Tuesday afternoon.

There were 212 patients at the hospital Tuesday morning; fortunately, patients are discharged daily, he added.

The Queen’s Medical Center on Tuesday announced that no ICU beds were available as COVID-19 cases continued to strain hospitals and their staff around Hawaii. However, Maui Health has not announced a reduction of critical services at this time.

While the local hospital assured everything is in place to continue to care for health emergencies, officials reiterated that COVID-19 cases are weighing on the staff and draining limited Neighbor Island resources. Caring for patients with the highly transmissible virus requires many more safety protocols and personal protective equipment.

“Everything is in place to make sure you are getting the care you need,” Rembis said during the news conference. “But the COVID patients are taking a toll on the hospital. We don’t have enough staff, our staff is tired, they’re working hard, they’re working extra shifts. They’re doing everything they can to provide really exceptional care to our community.”

Hospital leaders, along with staff who work there, issued pleas Tuesday, urging people to get vaccinated, socially distance, wear masks and do everything possible to stem the surge of cases.

Over the last month, cases have skyrocketed in Hawaii and in Maui County. Toward the start of July, only a handful of COVID-19 patients were being treated at Maui Memorial, officials had said. By the third week of July, the number rose to about two dozen.

Among the record-high Sunday of 40 COVID-19 patients, four of them were vaccinated, five were in the ICU and three were on a ventilator.

Out of Tuesday’s 31 COVID-19-positive patients at the hospital, three are vaccinated, six are in ICU and two are on ventilators.

“I can tell you from Saturday night to Sunday morning, we had more admissions in that 24-hour period than we’d ever had in the pandemic,” Dallarda said.

Although Maui Memorial’s emergency room is busier than normal, officials in a news release Monday reminded people that Maui Health’s Kula Hospital critical access facility and emergency room is an option for care in non-life-threatening situations. People experiencing life-threatening events, such as a stroke or a heart attack, should still go to Maui Memorial.

However, Kula Hospital, which has X-ray and laboratory services and can take care of splinting, suturing and wound care, as well as administer IV fluids and medications, may treat cases such as potentially broken bones, wound care, allergies or the flu.

“The hospital has an on-site laboratory and limited diagnostic imaging capabilities, so you can be treated for broken bones, infections and other medical needs and health concerns without having to drive to Wailuku for care,” the release said.

Kula Hospital emergency room wait times are mostly minimal, the release said, and there is a physician on staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

* Kehaulani Cerizo can be reached at kcerizo@mauinews.com.