Lee Health: 39 COVID-19 patients have died in hospital in 2022

Lee Health has released its COVID-19 numbers for Wednesday.

The hospital system said while the omicron variant causes less severe infection, some adults continue to die because of COVID-19.

In the first 19 days of 2022, 39 patients died from COVID-19 complications, including nine who died in the last two days.

“We urge the community to take steps now to protect themselves: Get vaccinated or boosted today if you have not already done so, wear a mask in public, frequently wash your hands and socially distance yourself from others,” Lee Health said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have lost their battles to COVID-19.”

• As of Wednesday morning, there are 342 COVID-19 patients isolated in Lee Health hospitals (inpatient).
• Of those patients, 10 of them are being treated at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.
• On Wednesday morning, the hospital census was at 96% of staffed operational bed capacity.
• On Wednesday morning, census in the intensive care unit was at 93% of staffed operational bed capacity. There were 37 COVID-19 patients in the ICU.
• On Tuesday, Lee Health emergency departments saw 942 patients. Before the current omicron surge, Lee Health emergency departments were averaging about 900 patients per day.
• On Tuesday, Lee Convenient Care saw 414 patients, LCC locations were averaging about 360 patients per day before the omicron surge.
• Lee TeleHealth is currently free and is an easy alternative to avoid longer than normal wait times at urgent care centers. To access Lee Telehealth, download the Lee Health app or visit www.LeeTelehealth.org.