Coronavirus in SWFL: The latest updates on COVID-19 in our area

(MGN/WINK News)

Lee Health announced Monday afternoon that they would be immediately dropping the price of Telehealth from $29 per visit to $0 until further notice.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE:
(Fort Myers, Fla. – Mar. 9, 2020)— Lee Health is immediately dropping the price of Telehealth from $29 per visit to $0, until further notice…. 1/3
— Lee Health (@Lee_Health) March 9, 2020

“The community is our first concern,” said Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and CEO of Lee Health. “We want people to seek medical care as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.”

Lee TeleHealth, is an on-demand medical service from the comfort of your own home. You can use your mobile device to talk to a doctor today. Lee TeleHealth is safe, secure, and saves time. Please visit leehealth.org/lee-telehealth to get started.

Tweets by Lee_Health

Latest FDOH coronavirus numbers

As the Florida Department of Health responds to the coronavirus (COVID-19) they continue to release updates on those being treated in the state in an effort to keep residents and visitors safe and aware.

Below is a list of Florida residents currently diagnosed with COVID-19 in the order they were diagnosed:

TESTING RESULTS

18 Florida cases (17 Florida residents)
- 12 diagnosed in Florida
- 5 diagnosed and isolated in another state
- 1 confirmed positive non-Florida resident isolated in Florida.
  - 115 tests in state results pending
  - 140 negatives
  - 1,104 people monitored to date
  - 302 of 1,104 are currently being monitored

Those who have tested positive for COVID-19 will remain in isolation until they test negative.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ADVISORY

The Florida Department of Health is advising all individuals who have traveled internationally to self-isolate for 14 days following their date of return to the United States.

The CDC has issued new travel guidelines:

Those who traveled to a country with a Level 3 advisory must self-isolate for 14 days.
If travel was to a country with a Level 2 advisory or cruise, limit interactions for 14 days & notify your local health department if you become ill.

NILE CRUISE ADVISORY

The Florida Department of Health is advising all individuals who traveled on a river cruise on the Nile River in Egypt in February 2020 to self-isolate for 14 days following their date of return to the United States. Several passengers in the United States recently developed symptoms and have been confirmed to be infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including two positive cases in Florida.

COVID-19 TIPS FROM FDOH

COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes. These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure. Most people recover from COVID-19 without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The Department recommends everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

Avoiding close contact with people who are sick;
Staying home when you are sick and avoiding contact with persons in poor health;
Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands;
Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then disposing of the tissue;
Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing;
If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty; and
Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

The CDC does not recommend that asymptomatic, healthy people wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

A person that experiences a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and any other destination under CDC travel advisory should call ahead to their health care provider and local county health department (CHD) and mention their recent travel or close contact.

If a person has had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from this area or been in contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, they should call ahead to a health care professional and the county health department. The health care professional will work with the Department to determine if the person should be tested for COVID-19.

IF YOU FEEL SICK:

The Florida Department of Health has opened a 24-hour COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.

http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/COVID-19/