(WTXL) — Capital Regional Medical Center says that two patients who visited a Capital Regional free-standing emergency room tested positive for coronavirus.
CRMC says they were informed Wednesday by the Florida Department of Health that the two patients visited an unspecified free-standing emergency room and later tested positive for COVID-19.
When the patients first arrived, officials say they took necessary protocols to handle the potential cases before they tested positive, including isolating the patients.
"The DOH approved the patients for testing; at the CDC’s guidance, one patient was then discharged and provided instruction for quarantine at home, the other patient was securely transported to Capital Regional Medical Center for admission," CRMC said in the statement.
The patient who was hospitalized remains at CRMC as of Wednesday.
Although the hospital is now treating a COVID-19 positive patient, the hospital says they are remaining fully operational. Earlier this month, CRMC began taking enhanced precautionary measures and say those measures will continue to be in place.
"We are working closely with the CDC and the health department, notifying individuals who may have been in contact with the patient, and requiring certain colleagues to self-quarantine and monitor for symptoms," health officials said.
They have stationed supplies at points of entry, so that any potential symptomatic patient can be properly masked and immediately isolated to protect healthcare workers and other patients.
No additional details have been released about the patients. CRMC announced their positive cases just after Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare announced that a patient it was treating for COVID-19 died.
You can read CRMC's full statement below.
Capital Regional Medical Center has well-established protocols in place to care for patients with infectious diseases, and we have been working diligently to prepare for any potential impacts of COVID-19. Today, CRMC was notified by the Florida Department of Health (DOH) that two patients who visited a Capital Regional free-standing emergency room tested positive for COVID-19.
Upon the patients presenting at the ER with symptoms, we immediately activated protocols for handling potential COVID-19 cases, including isolating the patients and following precautions to ensure the safety of our other patients, colleagues and visitors. The DOH approved the patients for testing; at the CDC’s guidance, one patient was then discharged and provided instruction for quarantine at home, the other patient was securely transported to Capital Regional Medical Center for admission. The patient at Capital Regional remains in isolation receiving the proper care.
Although the hospital is currently treating a COVID-19 positive patient, the hospital remains fully operational and the enhanced precautionary measures implemented earlier this month continue to be in place. We are working closely with the CDC and the health department, notifying individuals who may have been in contact with the patient, and requiring certain colleagues to self-quarantine and monitor for symptoms.
In addition, as we often do during heavy influenza outbreaks, visitor restrictions were instituted as part of the enhanced precautionary measures put in place earlier this month. Visitors and patients are being directed to use specific entrances to allow visitors to be screened. We have positioned supplies at points of entry, so that any potential symptomatic patient who arrives can be properly masked and immediately isolated to protect our colleagues and other patients.
We will provide updates to our hospital and medical staff, and will continue to reinforce infection prevention protocols and share the latest guidance from the CDC.
