Sarasota leaders track spread of COVID-19

There have been 180 COVID-19 cases identified in Sarasota County since March 13, more than 40% of which were confirmed in the first week of April, according to state data.

The measurable effects of the coronavirus have increased locally in late March and early April. Sarasota Memorial Hospital announced the first confirmed death of a COVID-19 patient March 24. On April 8, the hospital announced the eighth death at the facility associated with the disease.

As of April 8, 72 patients at SMH had tested positive for COVID-19, and 32 were hospitalized — both totals that had at least doubled over the previous 11 days. As the number of patients being treated has increased, the hospital has announced a series of changes to its operational strategies.

On April 1, after eight hospital employees had tested positive for COVID-19, SMH changed its policy on protective wear for workers. The hospital said none of those workers had known contact with a patient confirmed to have the disease. In a release, the hospital said workers who have contact with any patients will receive a surgical mask when they arrive and check in at temperature screening stations. Masks will be “available but optional” for staff in nonclinical areas where social distancing guidelines cannot be consistently maintained.

On April 13, the hospital said a total of 14 employees had tested positive for COVID-19. Since the outbreak began, SMH has asked about 50 employees to isolate themselves and monitor for symptoms, some of whom have returned to work after testing negative or two weeks of self-quarantine.

The hospital said its strategies for limiting spread within the workplace include prioritizing the availability of personal protective equipment, instituting a “robust employee testing program,” prohibiting most visitors at the hospital and increasing the use of remote health technology.

In a March 25 interview with the Sarasota Observer, SMH President and CEO David Verinder indicated the hospital was working to refine its policies on the use and procurement of personal protective equipment in an effort to ensure there was an adequate supply for workers.

“There’s two components to it,” Verinder said. “It’s the usage rate, the burn rate on those supplies, and there’s how fast can we get more in?”

Verinder said it would help the hospital if testing could be done more quickly. As of April 7, SMH said it had tested more than 840 people, with between 20 and 50 new patients tested each day in April. Countywide, the Florida Department of Health has announced an average of 105 tests each day in April, more than doubling the daily average from March 17-31.

Data from the state and county is also getting more detailed, which Sarasota City Manager Tom Barwin said will help inform the local response to the coronavirus. On April 4, Sarasota County shared a map showing COVID-19 case totals by the listed ZIP code for individuals who tested positive, which it has since regularly updated. The areas with the most cases per capita include downtown Sarasota, Longboat Key and Siesta Key.

Barwin said officials are still trying to contextualize the data, but he said it was important to identify the areas where the problem is most pressing and make sure residents are as well informed as possible.

“I think it’s important to send the message to folks living in the areas, as if they needed it, to really, really follow the guidelines that are in place,” Barwin said.

This article has been updated with additional comment from Sarasota Memorial Hospital.