Lee Health has once again resumed issuing daily COVID-19 statistics to keep the community informed as 70 new patients entered hospitals over the weekend.

According to Lee Health, the area’s largest healthcare system as on Monday afternoon has 160 COVID-19 patients isolated at inpatient hospitals, including 70 new admissions and 44 discharges since Friday.

Lee Health officials reiterated the need community members to become vaccinated to stop the spread of the virus.

“At Lee Health, we want to encourage everyone who is able to be vaccinated for COVID-19 to do so as soon as possible,” said Lee Health spokesperson Jonathon Little in a release. “We have heard people in the community say they did not need a vaccine because they’ve already had COVID-19 and have antibodies to protect them from becoming infected again. While you do have some protection after recovering from the virus, it is unclear how long the immunity lasts. People who have gotten COVID-19 and recovered can absolutely get it again. That’s why the vaccine is so important.”

As of Monday, Lee Health has 73% of ventilators and 15% of ICU rooms available for use. The report stated there were currently 12 COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 30 in the intensive care unit. Census as of Monday was at 88% of staffed operational bed capacity. 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.

Little continued, “Lee Health strongly urges everyone in the community age 12 and over get vaccinated. Doing so provides significant protection against serious illness even if you are exposed to the coronavirus.”

Individuals looking to become vaccinated can visit www.LeeHealth.org or call 239-343-0999 to schedule an appointment. The free vaccination clinic at Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers (13681 Doctors Way) is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A parent or guardian must accompany a minor.