Six new cases of COVID-19 in Manatee County. Florida count nears 5,000

An additional six cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Manatee County on Sunday, according to the latest data from the Florida Department of Health.

The new Manatee County cases were among 912 additional cases confirmed statewide. There are now a total of 4,950 cases in Florida, according to the state health department, 4,768 of which were residents.

A total of 60 deaths due to the disease have been confirmed in Florida. The total includes four additional deaths reported on Sunday evening.

Manatee County

There are now 38 cases of COVID-19 in Manatee County; that total includes six new cases confirmed on Sunday. All of the county’s cases were found in residents. Among all of the cases, one person died and 13 required hospitalization.

Manatee County’s cases range in age from 14 to 86; the average age of those infected is 55.

While the local cases continue to trend towards adults 55 and older, younger people are also susceptible to the disease. In addition to a case confirmed in a 14-year-old boy last week, 11 people between the ages of 25 and 54 have tested positive.

A limited run of drive-thru testing for 200 Manatee County residents began in Palmetto on Thursday and was set to wrap up on Sunday. Results for those tests are expected to take at least four days to come back.

The state health department said 318 people have been tested in Manatee County.

Sarasota County

A total of 11 new cases were confirmed in Sarasota County on Sunday, increasing the case total there to 61.

Two people have died there and 20 have required hospitalization.

Testing has been completed on 762 individuals.

The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota also began a drive-thru testing operation for its residents. However, the testing has been suspended until March 31 to allow more patients to sign up. Being tested requires a prescription and an appointment.

Elsewhere in the Tampa Bay area, case counts continue to rise. Hillsborough County has seen 51 new cases since Friday for a total of 225 cases. In Pinellas County, 34 new cases have been confirmed over the weekend for a total of 116 cases.

In other developments, Sarasota Memorial Hospital said an additional four staff members had tested for COVID-19, bringing to six the number of hospital workers who been found to be infected.

“The new cases remain under investigation, but based on the tracing of the employees’ contacts, they did not appear to have a known exposure to a positive patient at SMH.,” the hospital said in a news release. “Patients and staff who had close contact with the employees in the days before they went into quarantine are being notified. As a precaution, several staff have been asked to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days, and we are testing those who have or develop symptoms. “

This story was originally published March 29, 2020 at 12:33 PM.