Two more die in Manatee County from COVID-19. Florida reports most cases in a single day

Two more Manatee County residents have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the Florida Department of Health said Thursday.

The two deaths bring the local death toll to 114.

Also, eight new cases were reported, bringing total number of cases since the outbreak began to 1,253 in Manatee County.

Statewide, there were an additional 1,698 cases reported, the highest reported in a single day since the pandemic began. The state now has a total of 69,069 confirmed cases.

There were also 47 new deaths announced, raising the statewide toll to 2,848.

Despite the most recent spikes in the number of cases, the percentage of Manatee County residents who have tested positive decreased to 5.1 percent. That indicated the spikes are due to increased testing.

So far, 24,495 people in Manatee County have been tested, with 23,233 testing negative.

However, the percentage of Manatee County residents who test positive and die, 9 percent, remains more than twice the state average of 4 percent.

Nursing homes in Manatee County continue to make up 36 percent of the overall cases of COVID-19.

The county’s positive percentage rate has steadily decreased over recent weeks to well below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s target of 9 percent.

Sarasota County gained 11 new cases with one new death reported, but continues to hold a much lower positive percentage than Manatee County, 2.9 percent.

Rise in new cases

Previously, the highest daily count of newly confirmed cases was on June 4, when 1,419 cases were announced.

Florida slowly began to reopen in May. Now in June, most businesses across the state are open at limited capacity with social-distancing regulations in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

And Florida is one of 19 states that have seen a rise in new cases over the past week compared to the previous week, CNN reported early Thursday after analyzing Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Since June 3, Florida has reported totals surpassing 1,000 every day but one. Monday briefly broke the trend when 966 cases were announced, before it picked back up again.

And on Monday, Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Health Security noted in a report that Florida “continues to report elevated and increasing daily incidence. In fact, its 7-day average is approximately equal to its peak in early April and is still increasing.”

But Florida health officials told the Miami Herald last week that the rise of daily total increases this month were tied to an increase of testing and pointed toward the state’s positive test rate, which has seen some decline since the shutdown.

While a lower positive test rate is a good sign, University of Florida epidemiology professor Cindy Prins says people still need to remember that it’s still unclear who is being tested.

“Are we talking about people who are being tested because they have symptoms?” Prins told Miami Herald news partner WLRN earlier this week. “Are we talking about people who are being tested because now all sudden they have access, and they can go through the drive-thru testing, and find out whether or not they’re positive, even though they don’t have symptom.”

Thursday’s testing results were not immediately available. Florida’s Department of Health was not immediately available for comment on the case increase.

Manatee County numbers from Wednesday to Thursday:

• Cases increased from 1,245 to 1,253.
• The death toll increased from 112 to 114.
• Hospitalizations since the outbreak increased from 229 to 231.
• The number of males infected is 558 compared to 685 females.
• Manatee County’s positive percentage of those tested decreased to 5.1 percent.

Numbers for Sarasota County from Wednesday to Thursday:

• The number of cases increased from 705 to 716.
• The death toll increased by one to 89..
• The number of hospitalizations since the outbreak remains at 169.
• The number of males infected is 295 compared to 398 females.
• Sarasota’s positive percentage of those tested is 2.9 percent.

Florida numbers from Wednesday to Thursday:

• Cases increased from 67,371 to 69,069.
• The death toll increased from 2,801 to 2,848.
• Florida’s positive percentage of those tested is 5.3 percent.

Surrounding counties:

• Pinellas County cases increased from 1,746 to 1,862. The death toll increased from 100 to 101.
• Hillsborough County cases increased from 3,027 to 3,174. The death toll increased from 94 to 96.
• Polk County cases increased from 1,287 to 1,325. The death toll increased from 71 to 73.
• Hardee County cases increased from 160 to 164. There have been no reported deaths.
• Desoto County cases increased from 299 to 304. The death toll jincreased from eight to 10.

The Miami Herald contributed to this story.

This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 11:38 AM.