The City and County of Honolulu announced today a second employee from the Honolulu Emergency Services Department has tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee, who works for the Emergency Medical Services Division, is stationed at Pawaa One, which is located on Kapahulu Avenue in Waikiki. The employee is currently in isolation and will return to work after being cleared by the state Department of Health.

As of today, 11 paramedics and EMTS, including the positive employees, are on quarantine.

Since yesterday, EMS has treated and transported five more COVID-19 positive patients, bringing the total of positive patients transported by EMS to 97.

“We are completely focused on stopping the spread of COVID-19 within our EMS Division,” said acting chief of EMS Chris Sloman. “We are doing this by decontaminating EMS units, ambulances and equipment daily, hourly and following every 911 call. We continue to take employees temperatures everyday before the start of the shift.”

“EMS has noted in the last several years challenges with funding and staffing. The loss of more staff to this pandemic, will burden the system to a yet unknown extent. We are taking the following steps to address operational challenges. These steps include recalling personnel on overtime, utilizing our back-up contractor if available and utilizing EMT personnel to staff EMS ambulance units.”