Daily Stats (Updated 4/3/2020 at 6:30 pm)
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As of today, Lee Health has:
- 49 COVID-19 patients isolated in our hospitals
- Submitted 3,635 specimens for testing
- Discharged 17 patients
- 220 employees quarantined; Eight 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 Praises Lee Health’s Innovation and Resilience
Larry Antonucci, M.D., MBA, president & CEO of Lee Health, shared a message on Facebook explaining Lee Health’s innovative efforts during this unprecedented time. In case you don’t already follow us on Facebook, we wanted to include his message here:“Caring for and serving our community on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic requires significant innovation, collaboration, persistence and resilience. I am proud of the way Lee Health and partners in our community have found innovative ways to serve during this unprecedented time, including:
- Our decision early on to offer Lee Telehealth free to anyone who needed to see a doctor. Our community has embraced the virtual platform with thousands of visits.
- Our information technology team has stepped up in innumerable ways, such as adding technology in outside tent collection areas, building communications platforms for doctors and nurses to communicate with patients without direct contact, and rolling out better ways for patients to communicate with their families.
- We were among the first to set up mobile collection sites, and have been able to collect more than 3,600 specimens for testing.
- With help from our supply chain and construction partners, and with partnership from accrediting and licensing bodies, expedited the opening of a 216 bed expansion 60 days earlier than anticipated.
- Establishing a more collaborative relationship with NCH Healthcare System, where we share protocols and ideas. We have also launched the joint fundraising campaign to raise funds for personal protective equipment (PPE), equipment, supplies and staff support.
- We have implemented the evidence-based guidelines for extended use of PPE, and our teams behind-the-scenes have used UV light to decontaminate more than 5,000 N95 masks in the last week. This process helps us extend our supply of these vitally important pieces of PPE.
- In the case of HEPA filter hoods over patient beds, it took mere hours to get from an idea on paper to testing a prototype. Now, thanks to RD Johnson Construction, B&I Contractors, and our facilities team, we have deployed more than 140 hoods that help filter the air so our team members can more safely care for patients with COVID-19.
- To help ensure we have an adequate supply of sanitizer, our friends at Wicked Dolphin Distillery in Cape Coral started repurposing their alcohol into sanitizer and so far have supplied more than 400 quarts of sanitizer to us.
- Our local United Way Community Impact Team, along with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, is making face shields to help protect our health care heroes.
- Hundreds of volunteers are making and donating homemade masks.
Through this pandemic, we have been the grateful beneficiaries of the support of our community. From businesses and restaurants donating supplies and food, to those who continue to donate blood, and the inspiring and comforting cards, letters and social media posts, we are even more inspired to carry on providing the leading-edge, compassionate care our community deserves.”
Safety is Our Top Priority, Even When it Comes to Our Hospitalized Patients’ Belongings
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to help mitigate the risk of contamination to our patients’ belongings, we are asking that hospitalized patients only have items essential to daily living, like glasses, hearing aids, dentures, medical equipment and a change of clothes to wear when discharged. Other appropriate items include cellphones and chargers, laptops or tablets to assist with virtual communication.The Need for Blood is Constant
Physical distancing measures and canceled blood drives have caused a dramatic reduction in blood donations across the county, which is causing challenges to the U.S. blood supply. We assure you that donating blood is safe and if you are able, please call our Blood Centers at 343-2333 to make an appointment to donate. Please tell your friends and neighbors, too, that is it safe to donate.Lee Health Child Development Centers Working Hand-in-Hand with Redeployed Therapists
Staff at Lee Health’s Child Development Centers welcomed redeployed speech, occupational and physical therapists from our Children’s Rehabilitation Centers to assist with child care and distance learning. Lee Health’s three Child Development Centers typically care for infants to children 12 years of age, but with schools closed until May 1, the Centers are accommodating more school-aged children. The child care staff is facilitating the school system’s virtual school, which helps alleviate some stress for parents who don’t have to do homework with their kids after a long, trying day. The students are also enjoying yoga sessions from our yoga instructor in-between lessons, as well as other fun activities planned by the teachers.Join the #HeartsForHeroes Challenge
Show your support for our health care heroes by posting a thank you video or picture on social media with the hashtags #HeartsForHeroes and #SWFLStrongerTogether. Tag your friends and challenge them to post a thank you message, too. For more information on the Hearts for Heroes Challenge, click here.
~9,925 positive cases in Florida residents and 343 positive cases in non-Florida residents~
TALLAHASSEE —Today, the Florida Department of Health has updated its online dashboard to provide additional information and functionality. Now included in the dashboard is a map with cases broken down by zip code for all 67 counties. This newly assembled map was developed to provide additional transparency and real-time information for residents and visitors across the state. This map was released today in conjunction with the launch of a new COVID-19 Community Action Survey. We encourage all Floridians to take this anonymous survey by visiting www.StrongerThanC-19.com.
To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, the Florida Department of Health maintains a COVID-19 dashboard that is updated twice daily. Additionally, the Department is providing detailed information on cases in the counties most impacted by COVID-19 through the twice-daily report.
Today, as of 6 p.m., there are 10,268 total** Florida cases.
While Florida’s testing has increased over the past week, the percent of those testing positive for COVID-19 overall is 11 percent. Of the 13,802 tests performed on April 2, there were 1,509 positive results, or 11 percent.
Seven people have died who tested positive for COVID-19 in Orange, Palm Beach, Polk and Sumter counties.
New Florida cases include:
- 683 additional positive COVID-19 cases (677 Florida residents and 6 non-Florida residents) reported to the Florida Department of Health.
- There are currently 9,925 positive cases in Florida residents and 343 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 4/3/2020)
- One new country/territory/area reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24
hours: Malawi. - Supporting and protecting older people is everyone’s business: although all
age groups are at risk of contracting COVID-19, older people face significant
risk of developing severe illness. Read the statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge,
WHO Regional Director for Europe here. - As cases start to climb in the South-East Asia Region, the Regional Director Dr
Poonam Khetrapal Singh held a virtual meeting with Health Ministers of the
Region calling for a stronger whole-of-society approach. More information
can be found here. - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) launched an appeal yesterday
for funds towards priority public health measures to help Latin American and
Caribbean countries. The funds will be used to implement PAHO’s COVID-19
Response Strategy. Further information is available here. - Ports, airports and ground crossings require careful monitoring. WHO has
produced two online interactive courses to provide guidance for the
management of ill travellers and for managing COVID-19 cases or outbreaks
on board ships. Further details can be found below in the ‘Subject in Focus’