Manatee County has 17 new cases of COVID-19. Hundreds of tests are pending
Manatee County has 17 new cases of COVID-19, as results are still pending for hundreds of tests performed in recent days.
There are currently 632 total cases in Manatee County, and the death toll remains at 59.
Manatee County’s positive rate finally dropped below 15% but still remains high, with 14.5% of those tested being positive for the coronavirus. Statewide, the positive rate is 8.3% according to the Florida Department of Health.
Testing has finally become more widely available so there could soon be a surge in the local case count.
The regional testing site set up by the National Guard for the Manatee County and Sarasota County area at a site near The Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota had to shutdown early on Monday after reaching capacity. By 2 p.m, there had already been 400 tests completed, the maximum the site can do each day.
On Saturday, as part of Manatee County government’s partnership with MCR Health, there were 1,665 people tested during a free drive-thru testing event at four of MCR Health’s locations. To date, MCR has 3,314 people.
Statewide, there are nearly 36,897 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. As of Monday morning, the health department had announced 20 additional deaths, taking the state death toll to 1,399. The latest deaths were reported in Broward, Collier, Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, Lee, Leon, Pinellas, St. Lucie and Walton counties.
Manatee County long-term care facilities continue to have some of the biggest COVID-19 outbreaks in the state.
As of Monday, there were 34 deaths connected to local skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Braden River Rehabilitation Center in Bradenton is tied with two other skilled nursing homes, Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation Center and Seminole Pavilion Rehabilitation & Nursing Services, for the most deaths caused by COVID-19 in residents and/or staff. Each of the three nursing homes has had 14 deaths confirmed by the Florida Department of Health, including the death of one staff member at each.
With nine confirmed deaths, Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center in Palmetto is tied for the fourth highest death toll among skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Riviera Palms and Braden River are both operated by Southern Healthcare Management.
The breakdown of deaths by facilities is current as of Friday. But according to Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Russell Vega, there have 15 deaths connected to Braden River Rehabilitation Center.
In Sarasota County, there are now 385 total cases of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus, 7.5% of those tested. The death toll in Sarasota is now 47.
There are now 784 people who have tested positive for the virus in Pinellas County, 4.8% of those tested. The death toll now stands at 42 in Pinellas. In Hillsborough County, there are now 1,250 people who have tested positive, 5.2% of those tested, and 29 people have died from COVID-19.
This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 11:28 AM.
