William Hatfield and Jeff Burlew

Tallahassee Democrat

A woman who was transferred from a Georgia hospital with no apparent signs of COVID-19 to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare has died, becoming Leon County’s first fatality from the coronavirus.

She was among the county’s first three cases announced Wednesday night by officials at TMH and Capital Regional Medical Center. The other two patients, both Leon County residents, tested positive for the virus after visiting one of Capital Regional’s free-standing emergency rooms.

Leon County Health Department officials said the two CRMC patients “are being appropriately isolated and treated.”

“We are tracing individuals who have had close contact with these new cases and are at risk of infection,” said Leon County Health Officer Claudia Blackburn in a news release. “Those individuals will be quarantined and monitored.”

Few details were released about the patients, including their names. The two being treated were described only as a 58-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man who had traveled in Georgia. The woman who died, 48, came from a hospital with known COVID-19 cases.

She arrived at TMH with “no indication from the referring facility that they were a candidate for concern for COVID-19,” said Dr. Dean Watson, chief integration officer for TMH and Capital Health Plan. “They were captured upon arrival, and all the appropriate protective devices and treatment were put in place.”

TMH announced its case about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, immediately after the woman’s test results came back positive, said Stephanie Derzypolski, vice president and chief communications officer.

Minutes later, Capital Regional announced its two cases after getting confirmation from the Florida Department of Health earlier in the day. The hospital has free-standing ERs in SouthWood and Quincy.

"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," said CRMC spokeswoman Rachel Stiles in an email.

Stiles, citing federal health-care privacy laws, said she could not specify when the patients came to the ER or which one they visited. She also didn't say exactly when the hospital was notified of the positive results.

One of the CRMC patients was discharged and advised to quarantine at home; the other was securely taken to the hospital and placed in isolation. Stiles said the hospital is fully operational and taking enhanced precautionary measures, including visitor restrictions.

"We are working closely with the CDC and the Health Department, notifying individuals who may have been in contact with the patient," she said, "and requiring certain colleagues to self-quarantine and monitor for symptoms."

Stiles said visitors and patients are being directed to use certain 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," she said.

TMH officials, citing privacy concerns, didn't say when the patient from Georgia arrived or died. However, at the time of the woman’s arrival at TMH, it took several days to get test results. Starting Wednesday, the hospital began getting results within 24 hours for inpatients only.

'We knew this day was coming'

On Thursday morning, officials from TMH, Bond Community Health Center and the city gathered at the newly opened drive-through testing site outside the old Northwood Mall.

They urged residents to take social distancing seriously and emphasized that no one can be tested until they get orders from their doctor.

Mayor John Dailey tried to reassure the public, saying all local health-care providers "are on the same page" and "working together."

"We knew that this day was coming where we would have confirmed cases in Tallahassee," Dailey said. "And that's why it's so important — all of the steps we have been taking for the last couple of weeks to make sure this community is prepared as we move forward."

Mark O'Bryant, TMH chairman and CEO, said capacity isn't an issue at the hospital, which is licensed for 772 beds. But he said there are concerns — including a limited number of negative pressure rooms for patients with infectious disease and basic supplies.

"We're making sure we have adequate supplies," he said. "We're ordering plenty and making sure that we keep our stocks full. We actually do have a safety net of supplies that we keep on hand because we're in a hurricane environment."

The hospital also essentially halted all non-essential surgery to preserve resources.

"At this point in time we've basically cut back on elective surgeries to maintain supplies that we think we might be able to use for COVID-19 patients in case we do have a big outbreak in our community," he said. "And certainly we're working with our staff to make sure we keep them healthy — that's the most important thing."

More:Coronavirus in Florida: Government, hospitals prepare for increase in COVID-19 cases

Coronavirus cases and what's next

The capital city and coronavirus:

Dr. Temple Robinson, CEO of Bond Community Health Center, urged residents to call their doctor first if they are experiencing symptoms.

"Don't just show up at the doctor's office," she said. "Call first so you can get guidance on what to do and where to go. Many of the doctor's offices now are being very creative in what is formally called telemedicine but is essentially Facetime ... so you can get the right direction."

Dr. Watson said 80 percent of people infected by the coronavirus will have mild symptoms only. And he said people can reduce their chances of getting the virus in half by washing their hands.

"If you think you're affected ... you need to quarantine for 14 days," he said. "You need to stay home. I cannot emphasize this enough. You see all these things in the news about people out and about and going to the beach. That is wrong."

Two other cases diagnosed elsewhere

Earlier this month, a Leon County woman and a Gadsden County man tested positive for the novel coronavirus outside of Florida, according to state health officials.

The woman, 59, and man, 54, were among several Florida residents who had traveled to Japan. Both are being quarantined at an undisclosed location somewhere in Florida.

With cases mounting throughout Florida, the strategy has shifted to containment. Almost all large community events have already been canceled.

TMH, in partnership with hospital officials countywide, set up a drive-through testing site at Northwood Centre to let those who have been pre-screened for the virus get tested without jeopardizing patients in the hospital.

On the first day after opening, officials tested 70 people. Outpatient tests, like those taken at the drive-through site, take 5 to 7 days to get results back. Before Thursday, eight people were tested in Leon County with four negatives and four positives, according to the interactive DOH map of cases.

"Our increased testing capacity and social distancing efforts are vitally important to slowing the spread of the virus and ultimately saving lives," Dailey said in a tweet Wednesday night.

Ryan Smith, vice president and chief clinical officer at TMH, said that when the first COVID-19 patient was identified in the region, the hospital expanded patient transfer screening guidelines to include symptoms of the virus.

TMH screens transferring patients twice – once while evaluating a request from an outlying hospital to transfer a patient and again once the patient physically arrives at TMH, Smith said.

"This double screening process ensures our colleagues initiate the correct processes and procedures to keep themselves and other patients safe.”

Correction: The two CRMC patients are Leon County residents, not Georgia patients as initially reported.

Symptoms of coronavirus, prevention tips

The most common symptoms resemble the flu and include fever, tiredness and dry cough. Some people also develop aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and some people don't have any symptoms at all.

Where is coronavirus? Interactive map shows case across Florida and nation

More:Coronavirus Florida: Think you have COVID-19? Don't panic. Here's what you should do

About 1 in 6 people become seriously ill and develop difficulty breathing, according to the World Health Organization. If you experience fever, cough and shortness of breath, call your doctor.

The most effective way doctors have identified to prevent contracting the influenza-like virus is to wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, avoid contact with people who are sick, practice social distancing by staying six feet away from from other people, and remaining at home if you are sick.

Tips: