This morning the County’s Emergency Management Director, Shannon Weiner, held a countywide COVID-19 virtual status conference. Representatives of the Monroe County Department of Health, all incorporated cities within Monroe County, the three Florida Keys hospitals, law enforcement agencies and other officials all participated. Members of the press were invited to listen in. [See the video above.]

Some highlights:

The good news is three of the seven Florida Keys residents who have been hospitalized at some point during their illness have recovered.

There is currently only one patient who remains hospitalized with COVID-19 this morning in the Florida Keys. The patient is being treated in one of the Baptist Hospitals and has been for 20 days. Let’s all take a moment and send our virtual well-wishes.

The Lower Keys Medical Center currently has no confirmed COVID-19 patients but there are four patients who are under investigation, awaiting test results.

Of the 63 patients who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Monroe County only 7 have been hospitalized. Sadly three have died; all three had at least one type of underlying condition.

Bob Eadie of the Monroe County Department of Health said that what we are doing (with social distancing and self-isolation) is working and we need to be very cautious about any moves to begin opening things up at this stage.

“We are seeing a great deal of activity for people who are ready to open parts of the Keys up and I just solicit your support in being very very cautious about that and us being really sure when we want to make changes to what we are doing now. The worst thing that could possibly happen would be for us to start releasing people from self- isolations too early or social distancing – all of those things that have worked. If we don’t follow the guidance from our national leaders and from what epidemiology is showing us we could be right back where we were…. So I ask you to help us, the Health Department and the rest of the government in our emergency response to continue doing what we are doing until such time as we really feel that it’s time to make changes and get life back to normal. I realize it’s hard having been cooped up as long as we have. But it’s the thing that’s working and we need to continue it.”