Gov. Ron DeSantis

As the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a public health emergency in the state of Florida passed on Monday, several memorials, including one locally, will take place in memory of those who died from the novel coronavirus.  

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday announced that on Wednesday, the U.S. and state flag would be flown at half-staff at all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds throughout Florida from sunrise to sunset.  

“For the past year, millions of Americans have experienced great loss as loved ones succumbed to the virus and have encountered great challenges resulting from lockdowns, including harmful impacts to our economy, society, and mental health,” DeSantis said in a prepared statement. “We must remember all those lost so that we may move forward to ensure a brighter future for all Floridians.” 

This Friday marks the one-year anniversary of the first death at Lee Health due to COVID-19.  

Lee Health will mark the day with a memorial ceremony at Gulf Coast Medical Center to honor those who lost their lives to COVID-19. The March 5 ceremony begins at 11 a.m. 

“The health system will also recognize and thank its teams throughout Lee Health who have shown tremendous bravery and fortitude as they continue to place themselves in harm’s way fighting the virus. Lee Health leadership and others will provide a telling account of their COVID-19 journey,” said health officials. 

DeSantis’ office also relayed that Florida continues to lead the nation in vaccinations of seniors, and that more than 50% of the state’s senior population has received the vaccine.  

“Our Seniors First strategy encompasses vaccine administration for senior citizens at thousands of sites statewide from retail pharmacies to houses of worship to healthcare facilities,” DeSantis continued.  

His office also announced that beginning March 3, K-12 school employees, sworn law enforcement officers and firefighters 50 and older will also be eligible receive the vaccine. 

By the Numbers    

As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 1,918,100 total cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Florida, an increase of 7,179 since FDOH’s last update Monday.    

Test results reported to the Department of Health on Monday, Feb. 22, resulted in a 5.69% positivity rate among 149,412 tests.    

The state saw its highest daily percentage of positive patients on Dec. 29 when 22.75% percent of tests reported were positive among 62,303 tests.    

The average positivity rate in new cases over the last week is 5.77%. Percent positivity rates in new cases have been over 5% since Oct. 29.     

Of those testing positive, 79,731 Florida residents have been hospitalized at some point during their illness according to the state.    

The death toll increased by 140 from Monday’s report, bringing the total number of deaths, both resident and non-resident, to 31,696.    

According to the state, hospitalizations in Lee County, and statewide in Florida, make up 4% of all positive cases. Deaths statewide and in Lee County stand at 2% of positive cases.    

On Dec. 27, 974 people were given the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine throughout the state according to FDOH. The total number of persons vaccinated as of Tuesday throughout Florida was 3,084,403 with 118,651 being in Lee County. According to the state, 1,723,772 individuals have their vaccine series completed, 62,351 of those being in Lee County.     

In Lee County, 58,004 individuals (+241) have tested positive as of Tuesday’s update.     

Positive COVID-19 cases in the county have ranged from infants to a 103-year-old. Lee County saw its first two cases on March 7, when a man and a woman, each 77, tested positive. They had traveled to the Dominican Republic.    

There have been 877 deaths in Lee County, an increase of five since Monday’s report.    

As of Tuesday afternoon, Lee Health had 78 COVID-19 patients isolated in system inpatient hospitals, including 14 new admissions and 11 discharges since Monday. Over the weekend, Lee Health saw 25 new COVID-19 admissions and 30 discharges.    

On Monday, Lee Health had a 20% positivity rate on COVID-19 tests processed through Lee Health Labs. This represents Lee Health results only, not Lee County as a whole. Hospital positivity rates tend to be higher as the tests are performed on patients seeking treatment for a health issue, not the general public that includes asymptomatic individuals.    

A total of 5,231 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from Lee Health facilities since the beginning of the pandemic.     

Census as of Tuesday afternoon was at 93% of staffed operational bed capacity, with 5.7% of those being COVID-19 patients. Staffed operational capacity reflects the number of beds for which the hospital has adequate staffing, not the total number of beds within Lee Health hospitals. Overall bed capacity fluctuates hour to hour as the system discharges patients throughout the day who are ready to go home.    

As of Tuesday, 69% of ventilators and 11% of ICU rooms are available for use across Lee Health facilities.    

As of Tuesday, there were eight COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 13 in the intensive care unit.    

COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral disease. For most individuals, symptoms are mild. For a minority, the disease becomes a type of viral pneumonia with severe complications. Especially at risk are those who are older, those with underlying health conditions and the immune-compromised.    

Officials strongly urge all members of the public who are at risk to remain at home so as to limit exposure. All others are urged to observe social distancing and to wear a mask for all public interactions.    

For more detail on Florida resident cases, visit the live DOH Dashboard.    

To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from the Centers for Disease Control, visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, visit the travel advisory website.    

For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.    

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj