A 77-year-old Lee County resident who was previously determined to have COVID-19 died this weekend according to the Florida Department of Health. Another Florida resident diagnosed with the disease died in California. Late Sunday, the NCH Healthcare System reported a fifth positive case of coronavirus in Collier County. No further details have been released except that the patient was admitted to the hospital March 11 and was placed in isolation, March 13, where the patient remains at this time.
The Florida Department of Health is issuing regular updates as information becomes available on their web site which you can access by clicking here.
Lee Health and NCH Healthcare System announced Friday night they are setting up mobile collection sites for people to be tested for COVID-19. Patients must meet the testing criteria, and have their test ordered by their physician or provider. At Lee Health, patients must make an appointment before showing up to the collection site. NCH Health is not requiring appointments.
In a news release, the process is explained: “Patients will drive up to the site to have samples collected by medical professionals outfitted with personal protective equipment. The sample will then be sent to a lab to be tested. The results will be provided by the patient provider. Lee Health and NCH also have plans to expand hours of operation and locations as needed in response to demand.
Collection sites for Lee Health’s new mobile testing center was announced Monday. The center is located at the Page Field Lee Convenient Care office at 4771 South Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers. The center will be open seven days a week from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The center opens with a capacity of collecting up to 32 specimens per day, but Lee Health plans to open additional collection sites with expanded hours due to demand. In a statement, Lee Health President and CEO Larry Antonucci, M.D., MBA, said, “This is a key juncture point in managing this disease and Lee Health is doing everything we can to protect the community.”
Specimens collected at the mobile testing center are being sent to a lab for testing, which can take 3-4 days to receive results.
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