Escambia County COVID-19 Update #145

Updated at 3:45 p.m. July 16:
Please reference the prior updates and Escambia County COVID-19 Update #11 for a prior comprehensive running list. View an updated list of how to access county services here.  This update only includes new information we have received. Weekend updates will be distributed only when there is new information.           

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Planning and preparing for hurricanes and other natural disasters can be stressful, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDC has launched a new website, Natural Disasters, Severe Weather, and COVID-19, that includes information on preparedness and recovery during the COVID-19 response and what the general public can do to keep themselves safe.

Escambia County

• Hospital Information totals  
  • Hospitalizations 196 (current hospitalizations as of 3 p.m. on July 16, 2020)
  • Bed Capacity 1404 (as of 3 p.m. July 16, 2020 (county SITREP) 
  • Bed Occupancy 1077 (as of 3 p.m. July 16, 2020 (county SITREP) 
  • Beds Available 299 (as of 3 p.m. on July 16, 2020)
  • Total Ventilators 217 (as of 3 p.m. July 16, 2020)
  • Available Ventilators 136 (as of 3 p.m. July 16, 2020)
• Testing Site Information
• It has been requested to provide our daily COVID employee data. This spreadsheet shows what is currently happening and is not historical data.
• The Escambia County COVID-19 dashboard now also shows ventilator information.
• As part of a pledge proposed by Senator Doug Broxson during Thursday's Board of County Commissioners meeting, the Escambia County Commission is encouraging all citizens who have recovered from the coronavirus to donate blood or plasma in order to help current COVID-19 patients. People who have fully recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies in their plasma that can attack the virus and serve as a treatment for patients with serious or life-threatening COVID-19 infections. Donating blood takes just one hour, and one pint of blood can save up to three lives of patients in Escambia County. 
• View the PowerPoint about CARES Act funding from today's Board of County Commissioners meeting discussion.

• View Dr. Lanza’s PowerPoint presentation from today’s Board of County Commissioners meeting.

ECAT 

• ECAT has been awarded a grant of $10.1 million through CARES Act federal funding for operational and preventative maintenance expenses during COVID-19 for local transit services. The funds will also pay for PPE, sanitation supplies and other COVID prevention measures implemented since March. Escambia County Area Transit ECAT provides service through the fixed-route bus, seasonal Pensacola Beach trolley, University of West Florida UWF on-campus trolley and paratransit demand response transportation. News Release

Escambia County Corrections

• Total of 182 Escambia County inmates tested:
  • 132 positive
  • 49 negative
  • 1 pending
• At the Walton County jail, 32 Escambia County inmates tested positive out of the 152 inmates of ours housed there. 

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County

• FDOH-Escambia’s walk-in testing site is free to all Florida residents with or without symptoms. Pre-screening is not required. Open July 13-17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CT at 1300 West Gregory St., Pensacola, FL 32502. Dates are subject to change due to inclement weather or shortage of supplies. For more information, please visit the dedicated COVID-19 webpage.
• The Florida Department of Health (the Department) issued a Public Health Advisory recommending the following: all individuals in Florida should wear face coverings in any setting where social distancing is not possible, all individuals over the age of 65 and all individuals of any age with high-risk health conditions should limit personal interactions out of the home, and all individuals should refrain from participation in social or recreational gatherings of more than 50 people.
• As of 2 p.m., July 16, Escambia County has had 5,054 positive COVID-19 cases. This number is expected to change daily due to the return of results from ongoing testing. The best source for up-to-date information regarding confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Florida is the Florida Department of Health website and the associated Data and Surveillance Dashboard and Daily Report. The site is currently updated once daily, at around 3 p.m. ET.
• The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Escambia County residents is 56 individuals.
• The Department releases a list of long-term care facilities in Florida associated with COVID-19 cases with active cases and number of deaths in each facility in order to provide real-time data. The list of long-term care facilities with active COVID-19 cases is available here.
• The Department is providing a report detailing surveillance data for every Florida county. Previously, this information was only available for select communities. The surveillance data report is available here. 
• To view demographics of cases in Escambia County, visit the COVID-19 dashboard and select Escambia County. The following case data will appear: age, gender, race, and ethnicity.
• Need extra support dealing with stress and coping during this time? Find a list of available resources at Escambiahealth.com.
• Printable resources for restaurants and businesses can be found on the resources page of the FDOH COVID-19 website.