The Lee County Health Department announced 16 new cases of the Coronavirus Wednesday, marking the largest single day jump in local cases. The county’s total now stands at 64, with seven recovered.
Prior to Wednesday, the single biggest jump was on Friday, when nine cases were reported. The county does not release any details about the patients.
Lee County Health Director said the increase from March 20, when the first case was announced, to today is “significant,” and reiterated that while the department doesn’t release names, it is working with the community’s health and well-being in mind.
“I recognize that the increase in reported numbers today may cause some alarm in the community,” Cain said. “While our first case was reported at just over a month ago on March 20, our community has seen a significant increase in cases over the past two weeks as we climbed from four confirmed cases on April 8 to 64 confirmed cases today. While the department is not able to provide additional details, I want to stress that the health and well-being of our community is the department’s priority. Remember, COVID-19 is widespread in the community. This is not a case of knowing where the virus is and avoiding those places to avoid getting sick; the virus is everywhere, there are no safe spots and anytime you leave your home, you risk infection. If you must leave your home for essential work or activities, be smart – complete your tasks quickly and return home. When you are out, wear your face masks, maintain social distancing, and practice good hygiene. These are difficult times but we will get through this together.”