Lee Health at 99% capacity, COVID-19 deaths more than quadrupled in a month; NCH cases dip

The number of COVID-19 deaths more than quadrupled in August at Lee Health hospitals compared to July, records show, as the number of Lee County health center admissions for the novel coronavirus continued to reach record highs almost daily.

As of Thursday, Lee Health was at 99% staffed bed capacity.

According to the public hospital system, 114 of its patients have died as a result of COVID-19 since the start of this month, 91 of which happened since Aug. 9. The total number of COVID-19 deaths in July at Lee Health hospitals was 26.

Lee Health also reported Thursday that COVID-19 admissions now total 657, a net increase of 10 over the previous 24 hours and another all-time high. There were 87 admissions and 70 discharges.

"Lee Health continues to see a record number of COVID-19 cases in our hospitals as the delta variant quickly spreads through our community," hospital spokesman Jonathon Little said in a written statement. "The delta variant is extremely contagious and is affecting younger people at a higher rate than last year."

Related coverage:Full ICUs, daily death watch: A look at COVID-19, unvaccinated patients in Southwest Florida hospitals

Previous day's data:Lee Health reports 15 children hospitalized with COVID-19; NCH has 4

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NCH Healthcare System, which operates Collier County's largest hospitals, reported a drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations between Wednesday and Thursday: from 230 to 219.

Two of August's deaths at Lee Health involved people between the ages of 18 and 30, according to the health system. Fifteen were between the ages of 30 and 50. Counting July and August, 21 people under the age of 50 have died from COVID-19.

The Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida reported 209 emergency department visits Wednesday — more than twice the usual number of visits last year — and over half of them were for symptoms of COVID-19.

"This is not a pandemic that only affects older people, and the coronavirus can cause devastating illness in anyone of any age," Little said.

Lee Health intensive care units, now at 95% capacity, are treating 114 COVID-19 patients. Of those, 84 are on ventilators. Lee Health is also treating 14 children for the coronavirus, one fewer than the previous day.

Lee Health has reported 870 patient deaths since the start of the pandemic, including 10 over the previous 24 hours.

NCH reported that its critical care units are now at 163% of capacity. Thirty-nine of its patients are on ventilators. The hospital system is also treating four children with COVID-19. 

Its patients range in age from younger than 1 to 96. The median age of its COVID-19 patients is 59. NCH has counted 268 COVID-19 patient deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Lee County counted 6,653 COVID-19 cases in the most recently available state update of cases, an average of 950 per day. A week earlier, it had counted 5,603 such cases. Since the start of the pandemic, Lee has seen at least 97,935 cases and 1,009 deaths.

Collier County had 2,288 cases in the most recently reported week of tracking, an average of nearly 330 per day. That is slightly higher than the previous week's 2,151 reported cases. Collier's pandemic known totals are 47,750 cases and 551 deaths.

Lee County: COVID cases up while Florida cases drop slightly

Collier County: COVID-19 cases up 6.4%; Florida cases down slightly

Lee County expands COVID-19 testing

The Florida Department of Health in Lee County announced Thursday the expansion of COVID-19 testing in cooperation with Miami-based Nomi Health.

Testing is available between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, by appointment, at the department's office at 3920 Michigan Ave. in Fort Myers.

Drive-thru testing is also available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, at the CenturyLink Sports Complex, located at 14100 Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile-Cypress Parkway.

Testing at CenturyLink will be available by appointment or people may simply arrive at the site and register there. As an outdoor site, testing will be subject to weather conditions.

Appointments will be available for CenturyLink starting Friday. Appointments will be available for FDOH-Lee starting Tuesday.

To schedule an appointment at either site, visit the vendor’s website directly at http://testing.nomihealth.com/signup/fl.

Frank Gluck is a watchdog reporter with The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. Connect with him at fgluck@news-press.com or on Twitter: @FrankGluck