Lee Health: Coronavirus cases back on sharp incline
In one month, Lee Health went from seeing its coronavirus plummet to the point where it stopped announcing COVID-19 hospitalizations to seeing an almost-stunning resurgence in cases.
Lee Health reported having 111 patients hospitalized for the coronavirus on July 19 – up from 81 three days earlier, 74 the previous Monday and 33 patients nearly a month ago.
It was just on June 25 that Lee Health announced it would no longer be issuing daily announcements on the number of COVID-19 cases. On that day, there were 33 patients – a considerable drop from May when there were several days of more than 100 patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
Lee Health Chief Executive Officer Dr. Larry Antonucci said approximately 90 percent of those currently hospitalized with the coronavirus have not been vaccinated for COVID-19.
“We’re seeing a definite increase in the number of patients being hospitalized (for the coronavirus),” he said. “It wasn’t that long ago (last month) that we had 29 cases.”
Antonucci said the number of cases Lee Health’s hospitals are seeing is consistent with other providers in the state.
Lee Health does not track the Delta variant of COVID-19, which is believed to be playing a part in a new resurgence of coronavirus cases. First detected in India, Delta is believed to be more transmittable than other variants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC considers the Delta variant to be the dominant strain of COVID-19 and responsible for the majority of recent cases. Lee Health does not have a test for the Delta strain, Antonucci said.
Less than 10 percent of those being hospitalized have been vaccinated for COVID-19. Nearly all of the cases are for people believed to have been infected with COVID-19 for the first time, Antonucci said. He said the current outbreak is not as deadly as before though approximately 10 percent are in the intensive care unit.
Lee County is averaging 145 new cases of coronavirus each day, Antonucci said. Two weeks ago, that figure was 55 new cases each day. Those hospitalized range in age from 13 to the 90s.
Statewide, about 11.3 million people have been vaccinated for COVID-19. Of those, 9.78 million have completed their vaccinations. In Lee County, 394,397 people were vaccinated for COVID-19 as of July 15 out of an estimated population of 773,456. Approximately 57 percent of those 12 and older have been vaccinated.
The median age for those hospitalized with Lee Health for the coronavirus is 58. There have been 38,388 deaths from COVID-19 in Florida since the pandemic began.
“If you haven’t gotten vaccinated, get the vaccine – it will protect you,” Antonucci said.
For those who are looking to be vaccinated, Lee Health is holding free clinics at its Gulf Coast campus every Tuesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.