Lee Health reports 101 COVID-19 patients Thursday, urges flu shots

Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published: Updated:
Lee Health
Credit: WINK News.

Lee Health said they have 101 COVID-19 patients isolated in their hospitals on Thursday. They reported two deaths on Wednesday.

  • As of Thursday morning, there are 101 COVID-19 patients isolated in their hospitals (inpatient).
  • Of these patients, four of them are children being treated at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
  • Since Wednesday there were 10 new COVID-19 hospital admissions and 11 COVID-19 discharges.
  • 68% of ventilators and 15% of ICU rooms are available for use. There are 21 COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 30 in the intensive care unit.
  • On Thursday morning, census was at 86% of staffed operational bed capacity.
  • Since the start of the pandemic, 1,176 patients have died at Lee Health hospitals, with two deaths Wednesday.

Lee Health offers COVID-19 vaccines for anyone 12 and older at its Community Vaccination Clinic, located inside Gulf Coast Medical Center. It’s open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and there is no cost for the vaccine. Anyone can make an appointment online by visiting www.leehealth.org.

Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and CEO of Lee Health, added a statement on the arrival of flu season:

“Flu season is upon us, and it remains as important as ever to receive your annual influenza vaccine. While the current surge of COVID-19 is subsiding, the coronavirus still poses a threat to our community. Influenza and COVID-19 are both respiratory diseases, but they are caused by different viruses, and exposure to one of these viruses can weaken your lungs and make symptoms worse if you are later exposed to the other. Because they are caused by different viruses, being vaccinated against the coronavirus does not protect you from the influenza virus and vice versa. I encourage everyone who has not yet received their annual flu shot or their COVID-19 vaccine to do so as soon as possible. If you haven’t received either, you can even get both shots done at the same time. This is the best way to keep yourself and your loved ones safe during flu season.”

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