Lee Health officials on Wednesday reported a 600% increase of COVID-19 patients in their care in just a few weeks’ time.

The area’s largest healthcare provider’s President and CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci on a media call expressed his concern for the growing number of new COVID-positive patients Lee Health has seen.

“In the last month, the number of COVID-19 patients we are caring for in our hospitals has jumped from around 30 to 199 this morning, and now to 210 this afternoon (217 as of Thursday),” he said. “That is an increase of 600% in just a couple of weeks. This concerning trend is both threatening the well-being of Southwest Florida and beginning to put a strain on Lee Health’s resources, specifically in the emergency department. This week, patients in the ED are experiencing longer wait times than normal for this time of year as the coronavirus spreads through our community and the demand for COVID testing has skyrocketed.”

Antonucci said he wanted to remind the community of COVID-19 testing resources in the area, such as Lee Convenient Care Clinics, walk-in urgent care centers, and retailers such as Walgreens and CVS that offer same-day turnaround results.

“If you are sick enough to need emergency care we will be here for you, but these alternate testing locations will save you from a long wait and help us quickly serve all of our emergency department patients,” he said. “If you do need to come to the ED, please bear with us. You can expect a longer wait, and I am appreciative of your patience.”

Antonucci, touching on the vaccine and how that correlates with current cases, said, “the more people who are vaccinated, the less opportunity there is for the coronavirus to spread across our community.

“Mutations like the current Delta variant spread more quickly, and vaccination helps to lower the risk. This virus is affecting people of all ages and levels of health, and whether you come into our clinic at Gulf Coast Medical Center or get vaccinated at one of our area’s many local retailers, it is the best thing you can do to help keep yourself and others safe.”

He called Southwest Florida a current “hotspot” for COVID-19, touting the newest recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to mask wearing.

The CDC earlier this week updated their masking recommendations to include use, even for those vaccinated, in an indoor public setting.

“Lee Health supports these recommendations, as the coronavirus ravages our community,” Antonucci said. “Wearing a mask is one easy step you can take to add an extra layer of protection on top of the vaccine. Our goal is to keep people out of the hospital, and I believe following this recommendation is an effective way to do that. As a reminder, masks are required in all Lee Health facilities, and we ask that you bring your own.”

He ended by saying, “I know we have been at this a long time, and just a month ago there was a lot of reason for optimism that we have turned a corner, but the unfortunate truth is that we are still very much in the thick of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. By getting vaccinated and wearing a mask, everyone in our area can help save lives, keep people out of the hospital and conserve community resources to make sure we continue to be able to effectively care for all patients who need us in Southwest Florida.”

By the numbers

As of Thursday morning, Lee Health had 217 COVID-19 patients isolated in system inpatient hospitals. From Wednesday to Thursday, Lee Health saw 35 new COVID-19 admissions and 17 discharges.

Census as of Thursday morning was at 90% of staffed operational bed capacity, with 4.5% 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 Thursday, 72% of ventilators and 12% of ICU rooms are available for use across Lee Health facilities.

As of Thursday, there were 21 COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 43 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.

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