Manatee County tops 2,000 COVID-19 cases, health officials say. Sarasota County tops 1,000

Manatee County’ recorded 36 new cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases to 2,013, according to the Florida Department of Health.

The first case in Manatee County was reported March 1.

One new death was reported bringing the county’s death toll to 127, with 80 of those deaths being patients at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

Of the 36 new cases, health officials reported seven new cases in long-term care facilities, bringing the total to 468 of all the cases, or 13 percent.

The percentage of Manatee County residents tested who have been infected by the coronavirus has been on the rise in recent days, but remained stable on Tuesday at 6.1 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s targeted rate is 9 percent.

Florida added 3,289 new cases, bringing the state total to 103,506. Another 64 Florida residents have lost their lives to COVID-19, bringing the state death toll to 3,237.

A Miami Herald analysis of public and non-public COVID-19 data found that through 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.

And as bars, gyms, vacation rentals and movie theaters reopened at partial capacity in all but three South Florida counties, the number and rate of new COVID-19 cases were rising statewide — a troubling indicator that the disease could be spreading more quickly.

Sarasota County added 39 cases, raising its total to 1,031 and reported one new death bringing the death toll to 95.

Manatee County cases from Monday to Tuesday:

• Cases increased from 1,977 to 2,013.
• The death toll increased by one to 127.
• The median age of those infected is 44.
• Manatee County’s positivity rate is 6.1 percent.
• The number of residents hospitalized since the outbreak increased to 252.

Sarasota cases from Monday to Tuesday:

• Cases increased from 992 to 1,031.
• Median age of infected is 54.
• Sarasota County’s positivity rate is 3.3 percent.
• The death toll increased by one to 95.

Florida cases from Monday to Tuesday:

• Cases increased from 100,217 to 103,506
• The death toll increased from 3,173 to 3,237.

Surrounding counties:

• Desoto County cases increased from 468 to 487. The death toll is 10.
• Hardee County cases increased from 305 to 318. The death toll increased by one to two.
• Hillsborough County cases increased from 5,973 to 6,176. The death toll is 119.
• Pinellas County cases increased from 3,854 to 4,033. The death toll is 129.
• Polk County cases increased from 2,225 to 2,279. The death toll is 79.

Miami Herald contributed to this story.

This story was originally published June 23, 2020 at 11:30 AM.