Doctor’s Hospital of Sarasota makes first public statement about coronavirus response.

SARASOTA — "Multiple" health care workers who came into contact with a patient who was treated for coronavirus at Doctors Hospital of Sarasota have been quarantined, according to a state health official.

The workers are not sick but have been isolated as a precaution, said G. Steve Huard, the public information officer for the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County.

Asked how many Doctors Hospital workers — or doctors who work at the hospital but are not employed there — have been quarantined, Huard said in an email that "we identified multiple health care workers at several locations all who had contact with the case have been quarantined."

Huard added that the workers are not sick.

"However, our public health protective process requires contacts to be isolated (for 14 days after their known contact) so that if they become ill we can take appropriate action without causing additional exposures," Huard wrote. "If after the 14-day period they remain healthy, they are allowed to return to work and normal activities."

Those isolated include a prominent Sarasota doctor who diagnosed the Manatee County resident with coronavirus and quarantined himself after he met with the patient, according to Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

It is still unclear how many people may have been exposed to coronavirus by the Doctors Hospital patient. A statement issued Wednesday by the hospital did not provide numbers.

Doctors Hospital Chief Operating Officer Robert Meade said in a statement that once the hospital received the positive test for coronavirus on Saturday "that night, the team immediately notified individuals who may have been in contact with the patient and furloughed employees, in accordance with guidelines provided by the state department of health."

Information about the quarantines has dribbled out from various sources, but no comprehensive numbers have been released by state officials or Doctors Hospital.

A Sarasota Military Academy student and his mother were quarantined after the mother came into contact with the Doctors Hospital patient in her "professional roles," according SMA’s Facebook page.

And Sarasota Memorial Hospital issued a press release Wednesday stating that the doctor who diagnosed the coronavirus case — Dr. Manuel Gordillo with Infectious Disease Associates of Sarasota — is quarantined.

Gordillo has been at home since Saturday night. The medical director for Sarasota Memorial’s infection prevention and control team, Gordillo was asked last Thursday "to evaluate a patient at Doctors Hospital who later tested positive for COVID-19," according to the SMH press release.

"Dr. Gordillo received official notice of his quarantine status from the (federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) on Tuesday," the release stated, "but has been self-quarantined as a precaution since receiving news last weekend that the patient’s preliminary test came back positive."

Huard said there have been several meetings and calls between state health officials, CDC experts and Doctors Hospital officials to coordinate the response to the coronavirus case, one of the first two identified in Florida.

"Our Disease Intervention Division staff has been working with the hospital Infection Control Department since we were notified of the potential case to ensure they had all current case CDC protocols and current guidance for medical providers from the CDC," Huard wrote.

Meade’s statement says the hospital is "resuming elective procedures" and admitting new patients and the emergency room is open.

"We are terminally cleaning the entire hospital continuously by using anti-microbial disinfectant on every surface in the hospital, both clinical and public spaces," Meade said.

Gordillo is one of 15 consulting physicians and advanced practitioners at Infectious Disease Associates in Sarasota who provide inpatient and outpatient consultations, diagnosis and treatment at four hospitals in the Sarasota-Manatee region. A news release said Gordillo continues to monitor the care of patients and serve as a medical director for Sarasota Memorial’s Infection Prevention and Control Team. It said there is no risk to others that he may have come into contact with on Friday or Saturday.

Gordillo will remain in quarantine for the duration of the virus’ incubation period, through March 12.

Gov. Ron DeSantis reported Monday that a man from Manatee County in his 60s and another woman from Hillsborough County in her 20s were Florida’s first coronavirus cases.

There are more than 90,000 cases of COVID-19 worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. There have been 11 deaths in the U.S. and over 3,000 worldwide.

An individual at Gordillo’s office said he was unavailable to comment.

Doctors Hospital also released its first public statement Wednesday since word of the local infection case broke on Sunday, when a letter that appeared under a Doctors Hospital letterhead began circulating on social media.

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The letter advised patients and staff that the facility had admitted an individual who was "presumptively positive" for coronavirus.

Doctors Hospital immediately activated all protocols for handling coronavirus cases, including "immediate isolation," according to the letter, noting that all "exposed employees and providers have been identified and the hospital is communicating with them to answer their questions and provide additional information."

On Wednesday, Monica Yadav, spokeswoman for Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, addressed the letter and the hospitals decision not to make an announcement publicly, saying that the hospital considered patient and staff needs first. She pointed out that federal health care privacy laws kept them from discussing patient care.

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Doctors Hospital CEO Robert Meade said the hospital treats infectious diseases every day and has reinforced infection prevention protocols, as well as coronavirus guidelines.

On Feb. 28, the hospital said the Center for Disease Control changed its guidance regarding coronavirus — criteria for persons under investigation — that allowed a patient to be tested.

An established coronavirus plan was put into effect, Meade said.

The state lab returned a "presumptive positive" on Feb. 29 and the hospital notified individuals who may have been in contact with the patient and put employees on leave, in accordance with rules provided by the Florida Department of Health.

"Equally important, we transparently informed all patients and staff through written documents about the presence of a patient with COVID-19, and in an abundance of caution, we suspended elective procedures," Meade stated. "The CDC informed the hospital of the confirmed positive test on Monday."

Doctors Hospital has resumed all elective procedures and are admitting new patients to the hospital and the emergency room is open, Meade said in the statement.

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"We are terminally cleaning the entire hospital continuously by using anti-microbial disinfectant on every surface in the hospital, both clinical and public spaces," Meade wrote. "We continue to work closely with the department of health and the CDC to ensure that we are taking appropriate precautions on behalf of our patients, caregivers, and the community."

All patients and visitors at Doctors Hospital on Wednesday were greeted by staff at the entrance who asked if they have recently been outside the country, the nature of their visit, and whether they were exhibiting respiratory symptoms.

Masks, tissues and hand sanitizer was positioned inside the doorway along with information about coronavirus and influenza, a more common illness this time of year.

The number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. rose to 80 on Wednesday, according to the CDC. The Florida Department of Health reported two confirmed cases in Florida, a man from Manatee County, who is in his 60s, and a woman from Hillsborough County, who is in her 20s.

RELATED: Coronavirus Florida: Fourth resident tests positive

Results of a third presumptively positive case, involving a non-Floridian who is currently in Florida, were pending confirmation. Additionally, 5 Floridians who are out of state had been identified as COVID-19 patients. They were being quarantined and treated in other parts of the country.

It is unknown how the Manatee County man contracted the illness.

Save says Gordillo has been asked not to go out in public but remains in contact with the hospital.

"He’s working hard at home to help us cover our bases and guide us," Savage said. "He’s got 15 people in his practice who are also infectious disease specialists. He can go places if there are no people around. He has a wife who is staying with a relative and is bringing him food."

Gordillo is participating in hospital meetings using a video-conferencing app on his phone.

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SMH is awaiting the results of at least a dozen patients who are being tested for the coronavirus. The hospital is reviewing response plans in case they have "presumptive positives," Savage said.

Local health care facilities have advised patients if they have severe respiratory symptoms to call the hospitals, urgent care or health care provider before coming to clinics or emergency rooms. If they are having moderate symptoms a doctor will ask them to stay home, take their temperature and report if they have worsening symptoms.

RELATED: FSU exploring distance learning options in event of coronavirus-related shutdown of campus

Coronavirus symptoms typically last three to five days, Savage said.

"If they are at higher risk for any reason, they have asthma or pulmonary positions they may be asked to come in and see a doctor," Savage says. "People who are typically in a self-quarantine, it’s no different if they are at home with a bad flu. Take acetaminophen and drink plenty of water."

Patients with moderate symptoms can safely stay at home and monitor themselves.

As of Wednesday night, the Florida Department of Health indicated there were 38 pending test results, 24 negative test results and 253 people under public health care monitoring in the state.

The virus has affected 82 countries with the most cases in China, Republic of Korea, Italy and Iran. China’s death toll surpassed 3,000 on Wednesday, while a tenth person died in Washington State and one person died in California.