National Guard Deploys Medical Strike Teams To Escambia County; Southern Oaks Confirms Four Deaths

April 29, 2020

The National Guard has been deployed to assist with COVID-19 in Escambia County nursing homes.

The Florida National Guard ambulance strike teams were deployed to assist with specimen collection efforts in long-term care facilities in Escambia County, according to the county.

The county did not specify which facilities are being visited.  According to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the strike teams are medical professional able to ramp up testing.

As of Tuesday evening, the Florida Department of Health reported a dozen long-term care centers in Escambia County with active COVID-19 cases in the staff or patients (list below).

Southern Oaks Care Center has the greatest number of cases in all of Florida. The FDOH said 94 current Southern Oaks residents and 15 staff members are confirmed positive, and five positives were transferred out of the facility for further treatment.

In a press release, Southern Oaks said they have 94 patients that have tested positive, “but none are showing any respiratory symptoms or fever”, and of those that tested positive in April six required hospitalization.  The facility said one remains in the hospital and two returned. They also confirmed four fatalities — three that died at the hospital and one that passed away in the facility.

Click here to read the entire Southern Oaks Care Center press release.

The Florida Department of Health confirmed eight total COVID-19 fatalities in Escambia County among residents or staff of long-term care facilities.

Pictured: A Florida National Guard member performs a COVID-19 test. File photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

3 Responses to “National Guard Deploys Medical Strike Teams To Escambia County; Southern Oaks Confirms Four Deaths”

  1. Nod on April 29th, 2020 2:52 pm

    There is a lot of poor judgment going on but no one is perfect we learn by our mistakes and sometimes they’re very costly mistakes. Hopefully things will get much better quickly

  2. Victoria Carroll on April 29th, 2020 10:52 am

    Who else thinks something should have been done before know to help these people it sounds like poor judgement pray for the sick ones and the ones that are already gone

  3. mike on April 29th, 2020 8:32 am

    thanks troops! :)

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News