AdventHealth reports “swift increase” in COVID-19 cases in its Central Florida hospitals

ABOVE: AdventHealth Waterman Hospital in Tavares (Mount Dora Buzz file photo)

According to today’s press release, AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division continues to see a significant and swift increase in COVID-19 cases in its hospitals throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Polk, Volusia and Flagler counties. Additionally, the daily positivity rate at AdventHealth Centra Care remains at near all-time highs.

 As of this morning, AdventHealth has 862 COVID-19 inpatients across the Central Florida Division. This is near the peak of approximately 900 the health system saw in January.

 In response, AdventHealth will defer non-time-sensitive elective outpatient surgeries at hospitals throughout the Central Florida Division effective Tuesday, July 27. (An example of a non-time-sensitive elective outpatient surgery would be an elective knee surgery.)  Patients will be notified if their procedure will be rescheduled.   Preapproval from campus medical leadership is required for non-time-sensitive/urgent or non-emergent procedures.

AdventHealth is taking these measures, which mirror those made earlier in the pandemic, to safeguard our physicians and team members, and greater community.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: Is hospital capacity at risk?
A: While the rising number of hospitalized patients is evidence of the risk still posed by the virus in our community, it is not cause for alarm in terms of hospital capacity. Our hospitals are designed in such a way that spaces are flexible and expandable. AdventHealth has an extensive health care system in Central Florida, so we can locate patients to the facility that best matches the level of care they need.

Q: What percentage of COVID inpatients are vaccinated?
A: Some 94% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across AdventHealth’s nationwide system are unvaccinated.

Q: Is AdventHealth administering COVID vaccines?
A: AdventHealth continues to offer COVID vaccines for the public at six Centra Care locations. AdventHealth also is offering COVID vaccines to inpatients at its hospitals throughout the Central Florida Division.

Q: Do you have enough supplies and ventilators?
A: We have sufficient supplies of ventilators, monitors and other specialized equipment in order to quickly convert spaces in the hospital to both standard and ICU level rooms, should they be needed.

Follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram.  For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app.  ​

Sign up for Mount Dora Buzz