Lee Health officials are sounding the alarm as the number of Covid-19 hospital admissions has jumped to an all time high. As of Monday, there were 557 Covid-19 patients in Lee Health System hospitals, 90 were in intensive care, with 52 on ventilators.
At a news conference Tuesday, Lee Health CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci said the delta variant of the virus is twice as contagious and much more severe than the coronavirus we battled last year. Back then, it took a few weeks to kill a person, now it can take only days.
With a filling hospital, and emergency room admissions crowded to the point that people are waiting for hours outside, Armando Llechu, the Chief Officer of Hospital Operations, said staffing right now is stretched, but the emergency room can’t just close.
"The first thing you learn in ER medicine is there is no door to close. The ER never closes, so it just becomes our responsibility to figure out how to care for every patient that arrives," Dr. Llechu said.
Lee Health asks that people not come to the ER for a coronavirus test, pointing to external sites like a local pharmacy or health department for testing.
The Lee County Health Department offers drive-thru testing by appointment Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment in Lee County, call 239-461-6100.
Collier County residents can call 239-252-6220 for a coronavirus test appointment.
