Lee Health restricts visitations to patients at all hospitals

From empty store shelves to masks, people in Lee County are prepping for the likely continued spread of the coronavirus.

This comes as a third person in Lee County tested positive for COVID-19.

Lee Health has restricted visitations to patients at all hospitals.

“[They are] restricting all patients to two visitors at a time and we are not allowing visitors under the age of 12. Visitors are asked to answer a survey as they enter the hospital and won’t be allowed to visit a patient’s room if they within the last 14 days have traveled outside the country, returned from a cruise, have a respiratory illness symptom… or have been exposed to someone being treated for COVID-19,” said Dr. Larry Antonnuci, CEO of Lee Health.

Lee Health officials say doctors diagnosed the 57-year-old man at one of their Lee Health convenient care centers. Officials on Thursday didn’t specify which location he went to.

“The patient remains isolated outside the hospital and is being monitored,” Antonnuci said.

The Department of Health says it’s still investigating whether the latest positive test is travel related.

Additionally, one patient remains in critical condition at Gulf Coast Hospital.

“Twenty-eight test to state lab, three tested positive, one passed away, one in critical, one at home,” explained Antonnuci.

Several Lee Health employees were also at risk. Fourteen are currently being tested for COVID-19; which is up from nine on Wednesday.

Of the 28 coronavirus tests done by Lee County, 11 have come back negative.