Spike in Lee County COVID-19 deaths reported Monday

Out of the 24 COVID-19 related deaths reported statewide on Monday, 11 were in Lee County.

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YOU CANREMAIN ANONYMOUS.FOX 4 IS IN YOUR CORNER, TAKINGA CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT APPEARS TOBE A SUDDEN SPIKE IN CORONAVIRUSDEATHS IN LEE COUNTY.SEVERAL OF THESE DEATHS ARECENTERED AROUND NURSING HOMES.OUR SANDRA RODRIGUEZ TALKED TO AHEALTH EXPERT ABOUT WHAT THENUMBERS REALLY MEAN - AND WHAT’SBEING DONE TO PROTECT YOUR LOVEDONES.( 0:13 - 0:20)AS WE CONTINUE TO RECOVER FROMTHE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS -- 24STATEWIDE COVID-19 RELATEDDEATHS WERE REPORTED ONMONDAY...11 OF THOSE DEATHS HAPPENING INLEE COUNTY...1:27:03SOT(ROBERT HAWKES, ProgramDirector, Physician AssistantStudies at FGCU):"Based on Monday’s numbers, Ithink we need to look at it morethan one day, and kinda see ifthis is a trend we’re seeing oris this kind of a one timespike."THE DEATHS REPORTED ON MONDAYOCCURRED FROM MAY 2 TO MAY 17AGES RANGE FROM SEVENTIES TONINETIESDR. ROBERT HAWKES, THE DIRECTOROF THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTPROGRAM IN FGCU, SAYS WHEN THEDEATHS TAKE PLACE THE MEDICALEXAMINERS OFFICE HAS TODETERMINE WHAT THE CAUSE OFDEATH IS BEFORE IT CAN BEREPORTED2:23:01SOT(ROBERT HAWKES, ProgramDirector, Physician AssistantStudies at FGCU):"Many times people with COVID-19that are very ill from this mayhave other comorbidities, be itheart decease, diabetes, orother respiratory conditions.Just because they test positivefor COVID-19 does notnecessarily mean that’s whatthey’ve died from."AS OF TUESDAY MORNING━ NO OTHERDEATHS HAVE BEEN BEEN REPORTEDIN LEE COUNTY BUT THERE IS ANINCREASE OF 33 NEW COVID-19CASESDR. HAWKS SAYS THIS IS NOT ASURPRISE SINCE TESTING HASBECOME READILY AVAILABLE3:23:20SOT:"But I would say at this pointlet’s keep the numbers inperspective, just becausethere’s a one day spike does notnecessarily mean we have a newtrend."WHILE FLORIDA’S TESTING HASINCREASED OVER THE PAST WEEK,THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE TESTINGPOSITIVE FOR COVID-19 IS ABOUT 7PERCENT...3:52:12SOT:"These may be people who are notshowing symptoms but they justwant to get tested, or they havevery minor symptoms."AS OF MAY 17, NEARLY HALF OFFLORIDA’S COVID-19 RELATEDDEATHS ARE LINKED TO LONG-TERMCARE FACILITIESOUT OF THE 901 REPORTED DEATHSCONNECTED TO THESE FACILITIES,LEE COUNTY RANKS 4TH IN THESTATE WITH 58 OF THOSE DEATHS4:40:16SOT:"When looking at the data, it’llall depend on how many peopleare actually being tested forCOVID-19 at our long-term carefacilities, and then that willobviously correspond to thedeaths being reported."ACCORDING TO REPORTS FROM THEFLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,THERE ARE JUST OVER 300 HUNDREDCONFIRMED CASES IN LEE COUNTYLONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES...THIS INCLUDES RESIDENTS ANDSTAFF...THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYSSTRIKE TEAMS WILL CONTINUE TORESPOND TO LONG TERM CAREFACILITIES WITH COVID-