Daily Stats (Updated 3/30/2020 at 7:30 pm)
- 31 COVID-19 patients isolated in our hospitals
- Submitted 2,602 specimens for testing
- 136 employees quarantined; 4 employees exposed at work and positive with COVID-19
- Click here for table showing specimens sent to the lab, positive cases currently in our hospitals, presumptive positive cases and telemedicine visits.
Today’s News
Dr. Antonucci’s Daily Message Addresses Persons Under Investigation and Presumptive Positives
Larry Antonucci, M.D., MBA, president & CEO of Lee Health, shared a message on Facebook explaining the health system’s care for persons under investigation and presumptive positives, while also urging the community to practice social distancing. In case you don’t already follow us on Facebook, we wanted to include his message here:
“As of midnight, 26.6% of patients in Lee Health hospitals are under investigation or presumptive positive for COVID-19. These two categories of patients—known as persons under investigation (PUI) and presumptive positives, are being cared for as if they are definitively positive for the disease. Because we have not ruled these patients out as negative for COVID-19, we are following strict protocols.
We are cohorting these patients on specific units, meaning we keep them together and separated from other patients to prevent the spread, and our team members must don full personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for them. This is a significant number of people and the threat of the number growing is real. We are persistent about social distancing because we see how hospitals and health systems in other cities, states and countries are challenged to care for the volume of patients. We do not want that to happen here.
Lee Health is our community’s major health care destination; you have trusted us for more than 100 years. Please trust us now and take this virus seriously. Please recognize the part you play in helping our community, and stay home to slow the rate of spread here.
We know staying home is inconvenient, but it is necessary and it is something we all need to get used to, especially as Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, M.D., stated that he believes it will be mid-May when the cases in Florida will peak. We all want life to go back to normal as soon as possible, but it is going to take everyone heeding the advice to limit contact with others to move our state and community closer to normalcy. We really are all in this together. We appreciate your support of our health care heroes and we appreciate you doing your part.”
FL Surgeon General Believes Florida Cases Will Peak in mid-May
The Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, M.D., stated that he believes the state’s COVID-19 cases will peak in mid-May. While we all want life to go back to normal as soon as possible, it is going to take a community effort where everyone is practicing social distancing as much as possible to help stop the spread. We appreciate you for doing your part.
Board of County Commissioners Encourage Social Distancing
This morning, in alignment with the recommendations of Dr. Rivkees, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) adopted an emergency resolution that urges residents 65+ and those with underlying medical conditions to stay home. The Florida Surgeon General, per an executive order from Governor Ron DeSantis, also instructed those who can work remotely to do so. Through this resolution, the BOCC continues to encourage everyone in the community to practice social distancing as much as possible. We appreciate the BOCC’s support for social distancing and the opportunity for continued dialogue.
Lee Health will continue to advocate for measures that increase social distancing because we must do all we can to slow the spread of COVID-19 while ensuring we can adequately and appropriately care for our community.
Test Results from Our Triage Tents and Community Collection Sites
There is a misconception that COVID-19 testing in our triage tents provide faster results than our outpatient collection sites, which is not true. All specimens collected at both our triage tents and outpatient collection sites go to the same labs for testing. A reason some test results have been faster is because commercial labs have been overwhelmed and are challenged to keep up. Fortunately, Mayo Clinic has stepped up and are returning tests as quickly as possible. With that being said, the Cape Coral collection site was closed yesterday due to lack of appointments, it is open today and will continue to operate seven days a week.
Take Time to Thank A Doctor
Today is National Doctors Day and there couldn’t be a more appropriate time to thank our doctors for their dedication to caring for our patients and recognize their brave efforts to keep our community safe. We are grateful for our doctors and the entire team of health care heroes.
Follow @LeeHealth on Social Media
Be sure to stay up-to-date with the latest from Lee Health by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Vimeo. In addition to photos of our #LeeHealthStrong team, wellness tips, yoga classes and more, Dr. Larry Antonucci is posting daily messages on our Facebook page.
~5,489 positive cases in Florida residents and 215 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
TALLAHASSEE —To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, the Florida Department of Health has launched a COVID-19 dashboard that will be updated twice daily. Today, as of 6 p.m., there are 5,704 total** Florida cases.
While Florida’s testing has increased over the past week, the percent of those testing positive for COVID-19 overall is 10 percent. Of the 7,754 tests performed on March 29, there were 1,018 positive results, or 13 percent.
Eight people have died who tested positive for COVID-19 in Broward, Citrus, Clay, Dade, Duval, Osceola and Palm Beach counties.
New Florida cases include:
- 231 additional positive COVID-19 cases (213 Florida residents and 18 non-Florida residents) reported to the Florida Department of Health.
- There are currently 5,489 positive cases in Florida residents and 215 positive cases in non-Florida residents.
Florida recently partnered with private laboratories around the state to expand COVID-19 laboratory testing capacity. This partnership will increase the number of tests conducted each day and ensure Floridians receive the critical health information they need in a timely manner.
Expansion to private laboratories changes the COVID-19 testing landscape in Florida. Private laboratories are running tests as they receive swab samples from practitioners. Testing and reporting times vary among commercial and DOH laboratories. Demographic information may be updated during investigations. These twice daily reports reflect the state’s efforts to accurately and transparently share information.
World Health Organization Update
SITUATION IN NUMBERS total (new) cases in last 24 hours
(last updated 10:00 AM CET 3/30/2020)
Globally 693,282 confirmed (58,469)
33,106 deaths (3,215)
Western Pacific Region 103,775 confirmed (987)
3649 deaths (23)
European Region 392,815 confirmed (31,784)
23,962 deaths (2,535)
South-East Asia Region 4,084 confirmed (375)
158 deaths (19)
Eastern Mediterranean Region 46,329 confirmed (3,552)
2,813 deaths (145)
Region of the Americas 142,081 confirmed (21,289)
2,457 deaths (484)
African Region 3,486 confirmed (1482)
60 deaths (9)
Highlights
- No new countries/territories/areas reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24
hours. - WHO has updated the operational planning guidelines to help countries
maintain essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
document includes a set of immediate actions that countries should consider
at national, regional, and local level to reorganize and maintain access to highquality essential health services for all. For more information:
https://www.who.int/publications-detail/covid-19-operational-guidance-formaintaining-essential-health-services-during-an-outbreak