24 new cases of COVID-19 in Manatee County. Statewide count surpasses 75,000

An additional 24 cases of COVID-19 in Manatee County were among 2,016 more cases reported statewide on Sunday, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Six additional COVID-19-related deaths were reported across Florida, none of which were in Manatee. The state death toll since the virus outbreak began is now at 2,931.

The recent upward trend of new COVID-19 cases in Florida is consistent with the state’s reopening and cannot wholly be attributed to increases in testing, a Miami Herald data analysis found.

Health experts said that the rising numbers could indicate a resurgence of the virus, but they also agreed that proactive public and government action could bring the spread under control without the need for another shutdown.

Manatee County was among those that experienced a recent spike in cases, with 56 new cases reported on Friday and 44 on Saturday. The county has now had 1,377 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since testing for the coronavirus began.

To date, about 33 percent of all COVID-19 cases in Manatee County are tied to long-term care facilities, according to the state health department. Of 115 COVID-19-related deaths reported in the county, 79 were among residents or staff of the facilities.

The rate at which Manatee County residents are testing positive for COVID-19 is now at 5.1 percent. The statewide test positivity rate is 5.4 percent, an increase of one-tenth of a percentage point over the last week.

The number of cumulative reported cases in Florida now stands at 75,568 as of Sunday morning.

Manatee County numbers from Saturday to Sunday

• The number of cumulative positive cases increased from 1,353 to 1,377. (188 new cases were reported over the past week.)
  
  
• The number of reported deaths remained at 115. (10 new deaths were reported over the past week.)
• The number of cumulative hospitalizations remained at 226 residents.
• The number of men infected is 625 compared to 740 women.
• The number of people tested in Manatee increased from 25,842 to 27,042. (3,888 new tests were logged over the past week.)
  
  
• The county’s test positive rate has decreased from 6.7% three weeks ago, stabilizing to around 5.1% over the past several weeks.
• 445 cases (33% of all cases) were among residents and staff of long-term care facilities in Manatee. (Another eight deaths tied to care facilities were reported over the past week, bringing the total to 79.)
• There have been three cases confirmed among staff and/or residents at correctional facilities.

Sarasota County numbers from Saturday to Sunday

• The number of cumulative positive cases increased from 741 to 767.
• The number of reported deaths remained at 91.
• The number of cumulative hospitalizations increased to 172 residents.
• The number of men infected is 324, compared to 420 women.
• The number of people tested is now 27,666.
• Sarasota County’s test positive rate is 2.8% — down from 4.8% three weeks ago.

Florida COVID-19 numbers from Saturday to Sunday

• The state’s number of positive cases increased from 73,552 to 75,568. (11,630 new cases were reported over the past week.)
  
  
• The state’s death toll increased from 2,925 to 2,931.
• The state’s percentage of positive cases from the number tested is 5.4%, compared to 5.8% three weeks ago.

Surrounding counties

• Pinellas County cases increased from 2,103 to 2,235. Reported deaths remained at 102.
  
  
• Hillsborough County cases increased from 3,504 to 3,613. Reported deaths remained at 99.
  
  
• Polk County cases increased from 1,414 to 1,466. Reported deaths remained at 75.
  
  
• Hardee County cases increased from 189 to 196. There have been no reported deaths in Hardee County.
• Desoto County cases increased from 348 to 361. Reported deaths remained at 10.