FORT MYERS, Fla. — Coronavirus has left it's mark here in Florida, infecting and killing over 2,364 people across the Sunshine State. As of earlier today, Lee County has reached 100 Coronavirus related deaths, being one of the highest-rated fatality communities in the state. Robert Hawkes with Florida Gulf Coast University says this is not a surprise.
“Certainly we’ve seen the number of COVID cases increase, and as time spreads certainly we’re going to see the increase of the number of deaths," said Robert Hawkes, Director of the Physicians Assistant Program FGCU.
However, when we look at the percentage of deaths and the number of deaths occurring daily, Hawkes says we are dropping.
“So in the past few days it's been running 6 or so per day, I believe that’s what it was yesterday, but when you look at from what the peak was a couple of weeks ago, we’ve certainly come down in the number of people dying per day,” said Hawkes.
Hawkes says we are in a better place now than we were two months prior.
“Some of the early projections were actually going to be many more cases, but that was kind of before we really started to flatten the curve, and started to do social distancing and wear masks. So when we go back to the projection numbers in March, we’re actually better off than we are now”, said Hawkes.
Emily Alvarado agrees, having recovered from the virus in late March she says, she still feels some of the effects.
“I still find myself having to use an inhaler here and there. I can’t really walk to a store and back without being out of breath. I haven’t been coughing I’ve been feeling pretty good, I'm still inside, I've been in quarantine, I still wear a mask everywhere I go” said Emily Alvarado.
Having grown up here in Fort Myers, she is saddened by the news, but as one of the lucky survivors, she wants everyone to keep their guard up.
“Protection is really important, and it's important to follow whatever they are telling us because it's only going to help it go faster you know” said Alvarado.
Alvarado and Hawkes both stressed the importance of social distancing and following all safety guidelines as the country begins to reopen.
