(BIVN) – Members of the Governor’s Joint Task Force on Rat Lungworm Disease visited Hilo Medical Center on Tuesday. The group is on the island, learning first hand about the effects of the disease in East Hawaii.

Members took the time to speak to media following their meeting with hospital officials, including Dr. Jon Martel, the Medical Director of Acute Care at Hilo Medical Center.

Task Force members whom we spoke to include:

Chad Meyer, MD, retired Maui physician

Vernon Ansdell, M.D. MD FRCP DTM&H, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Tropical Medicine, Clinical Microbiology and Pharmacology John A Burns School of Medicine

William L. Gosnell, Ph.D.; Assistant Professor, Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine

Kenton Kramer, MD, Associate Professor of the Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology with the University of Hawai‘i John A. Burns School of Medicine (UH-JABSOM)

Gerald Murphy, MD, Infectious Disease Physician

Group members were also slated to talk with residents in a Rat Lungworm Support Group meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening in Kea’au.