HOLMDEL - Hackensack Meridian Health Bayshore Medical Center shut the hospital to new patients Thursday while it was awaiting COVID-19 test results on doctors and staff possibly infected by a patient, local officials said.

The hospital is on what’s known as a “bypass,” said Holmdel First Aid Squad Chief Christopher Trischitta. The bypass notice was sent out about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

That means his squad and others have been directed to take patients elsewhere.

A bypass is a more stringent restriction than a “divert,” an alert to first aid squads to bring patients, except for critical exceptions, elsewhere because of the lack of beds or staff shortages, for instance, Trischitta said.

“Bypass means you don’t go to the hospital,” Trischitta said. “Divert means you could go.”

Trischitta said he has only encountered a bypass once in his 15 years with the squad, after Bayshore sustained damage from a fire in 2018.

For details on how Monmouth County is dealing with the coronavirus, scroll to the video above.

After the Asbury Park Press made inquiries about the diverting of patients away from the hospital, Frank Citara, chief hospital executive at Bayshore, sent out a statement Friday afternoon.

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Citara said Bayshore has been treating two COVID-19 patients who tested presumptive positive and a third person who was suspected of having the disease. One of those patients did not show symptoms at first, he said.

"Over time, the patient exhibited symptoms which required further investigation and testing resulting in a presumptive positive case," Citara said. "To ensure the health and safety of our health care team and patients, we are conducting a thorough screening of every physician and team member who was potentially exposed."

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Citara added that the hospital is taking "necessary temporary precautions to protect our patients, team members and the communities we serve."

Citara did not respond directly to the question about the diversion of patients. He did not include the number of staff being tested or whether any have been quarantined at home. And attempts to seek clarification on the patient who may have infected staff were unsuccessful.

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A spokeswoman for the hospital declined to provide further information.

Ken Serrano has covered crime and breaking news for more than 20 years in New Jersey. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or at kserrano@gannettnj.com