Polk County is seeing COVID hospitalizations near record highs with the sudden uptick in infections.
Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center had 179 people hospitalized for COVID-19 as of 1 p.m. Monday, of which 11 individuals required the use of a ventilator, according to spokesperson Sandra Roddenberry. That number nears the medical center’s record high of about 190 patients reported so far during the pandemic.
In Polk, there were 2,514 new infections reported last week as the county’s positivity rate skyrocketed to 18.6%, according to the Florida Department of Health’s Friday report.
Approximately 51% of Polk residents age 12 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine, according to the state health department.
Lakeland Regional Health has not announced any voluntary reduction of services or change in its visitor policies as of The Ledger’s print publication deadline.