Manatee County sets daily record with 101 new COVID-19 cases. Death toll rises to 124

Local officials are stressing the need for residents to wear face masks in public as Manatee County and the state of Florida both set a new record-high for the number of COVID-19 cases reported in a single day.

Manatee reported 101 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, a new daily record. Statewide, 3,822 cases, also a record daily high, were reported, according to the Florida Department of Health. Even as cases of the novel coronavirus surge, officials say they don’t expect to approve an ordinance that makes face coverings mandatory — a step taken in other Tampa Bay cities.

Two additional deaths were reported in Manatee County, bringing the local death toll to 124. In Florida, an additional 43 deaths were recorded. As of Friday, 3,104 Floridians had died of COVID-19 since the pandemic hit here in March.

The number of cases in Florida climbed to 89,748.

The previous daily high in Manatee was on Tuesday, when 62 new infections were reported.

As the number of local cases continues to rise, Manatee’s Public Safety Director Jake Saur encouraged residents to use a mask or face covering any time they enter the public.

“It is troublesome to see the uptick in recent cases but as we move through this, it’s important for the general public to understand that they have a duty to curb the spread of COVID-19 and that’s by wearing a mask,” he said.

Because of increased testing availability, public safety officials expected to see an increase, but the rate is even higher than they predicted.

“We know that by and large, Manatee residents are getting tested frequently. We expected some of the tests we do see, but it’s at a faster rate than we would like,” Saur explained, stressing the importance of taking the necessary precautions. “That’s because the general public is going back out and the economy is open and that’s a good thing, but we cannot get complacent that COVID-19 has gone away.”

Other municipalities in the Tampa Bay area, such as the city of St. Petersburg and the city of Tampa, have adopted ordinances that require employees at private businesses to wear face masks. A similar ordinance isn’t likely in Manatee, according to Commissioner Betsy Benac, who serves as chairman of the Board of County Commissioners.

“I definitely think people need to take personal responsibility,” Benac said. “Whether we could pass an ordinance is unlikely in Manatee County, but private businesses have every right to mandate that people wear a mask before they enter.”

“I’m sure we’ll be watching this,” she continued. “We’ll be hearing from the governor and if we start to have problems in our hospitals, we’ll have to go back to the drawing board. Public safety is our responsibility.”

The state’s daily total of newly confirmed cases has been broken five times this month. Previously, the highest daily total recorded was on Thursday, when 3,207 cases were reported.

A Miami Herald analysis of public and non-public COVID-19 data found that as of June 3, new cases in Florida had consistently been trending up since mid-May and the trends could not be attributed solely to increases in testing.

The percentage of Manatee residents who have been tested and found to have the coronavirus infection increased from 5.2 percent to 5.4 percent.

The number of people tested in Manatee County increased by almost 2,000, to 30,605, with 28,944 residents testing negative thus far.

Of the cases in Manatee, 461, including six cases reported Friday, have been in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. That’s 28 percent of all cases, compared to 34 percent just last week.

Sarasota County recorded 35 new cases as of Friday morning, one of the largest spikes in new cases since the early days of the pandemic. The death toll there stayed at 92.

Manatee County cases from Thursday to Friday:

• The number of cases increased from 1,548 to 1,649.
• The number of deaths increased from 122 to 124.
• Hospitalizations since the outbreak increased from 242 to 244.
• The number of males infected is 750, compared to 883 females.
• The number of residents tested increased from 29,914 to 30,605.
• The percentage of positive cases to the number of tests is 5.4 percent.

Sarasota County cases from Thursday to Friday:

• The number of cases increased from 833 to 868.
• The death toll remains at 92.
• The number of hospitalizations since the outbreak remains at 179.
• The number of residents tested increased from 28,904 to 29,501.
• The number of males infected is 369 compared to 475 females.
• The number of positive cases compared to those tested is 2.9 percent.

Florida cases from Thursday to Friday:

• The number of cases increased from 85,926 to 89,748.
• The death toll increased from 3,061 to 3,104..
• The percentage of those testing positive compared to the number tested is 5.7 percent.

Surrounding counties:

• Pinellas County cases increased from 2,887 to 3,153. The death toll increased from 112 to 113.
• Hillsborough County cases increased from 4,610 to 4,982. The death toll increased from 105 to 109.
• Polk County cases increased from 1,702 to 1,856. The death toll increased from 76 to 77.
• Hardee County cases increased from 228 to 244. The death toll remains at one.
• Desoto County cases increased from 412 to 431. The death toll remains at 10.

The Miami Herald contributed to this story.

This story was originally published June 19, 2020 at 11:52 AM.