COVID-19 negative: Sarasota Memorial Hospital receives test results for 14 patients

Sarasota Memorial patients test negative for COVID-19

Kimberly Kuizon reports

SARASOTA, Fla. - Fourteen patients at Sarasota Memorial Hospital tested negative for COVID-19, but doctors continue to test patients as they come in.

It is peak season for flu and other respiratory viruses. Staff must run a gamut of tests, ranging from the flu to rhinovirus and everything in between. If patients test negative for all of those illnesses, but have specific symptoms, they then get tested for coronavirus.

Dr.James Ficoura explained, "If they qualify for testing they are immediately placed in a separate area, they are immediately placed in isolation rooms and we are limiting visitors to that room to prevent cross-contamination."

Some of the patients have been isolated for days. While they can now breathe a sigh of relief, the hospital continues to prepare staff for the possibility of a positive patient.

"We are set up right now if one of these patients come back positive, we already have them in isolation, we already have the staff prepared and trained on working on those patients right now," said SMH CEO and President David Verinder. "We are ready for it. We hope it doesn't happen, but we are set up and ready where our staff is safe our community is safe and we can contain the outbreak as much as we can."

SMH set up a command center to give information and guidance to staff, local doctors and nursing homes. They also have a public coronavirus hotline set up. Anyone with questions or needing more information can call 941-917-8799.

If you feel sick

The Florida Department of Health has opened a COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Agents will answer questions Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.

LINK: Florida's COVID-19 website
CORONAVIRUS IN FLORIDA: What you need to know