COVID-19 in Manatee surpasses 2,200 cases. Florida records second-highest daily total

Seventy more people in Manatee County have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and one more resident has died, the Florida Department of Health said Thursday. Statewide, more than 5,000 positive tests were reported for the second day in a row.

There are now 2,202 people in Manatee County who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, including 128 who have died. Eighty of the deaths have been patients in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The first case in Manatee was reported March 1.

The total number of long-term care patients who have been infected increased to 469 of the overall cases, or about 21 percent.

There have been 34,662 tests administered in Manatee County since testing began, with a positivity rate of 6.4%.. The positivity rate for tests reported Thursday was 6.7 percent.

Statewide, Florida suffered another near record day with 5,004 new cases and 46 more deaths. The only day with more cases was Wednesday, when 5,508 positive test results were reported.

There have now been 114,018 positive cases in Florida, including 3,327 who have died.

Sarasota County added 48 new cases and recorded one new death, bringing the death toll to 96 since the start of the pandemic.

In Sarasota, 32,277 tests have been administered, and the positivity rate is 3.5 percent, up from 2.9 percent last week.

Possible new phase in pandemic

Public health experts told the Miami Herald Wednesday that the state appears to be experiencing exponential growth of the virus spread and could be entering a new phase in the pandemic — one that looks a lot like the first phase.

Of the nearly 110,000 COVID-19 cases confirmed since March, nearly 30% or more than 31,680 cases have been reported in the last 10 days, as of Wednesday. The rise in cases has prompted New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to issue a joint travel advisory that requires travelers from states “with significant community spread of COVID-19” — including Florida — to quarantine for 14 days.

And while cases surge in Miami-Dade and statewide, testing volume has flat-lined in Florida, which ranks 29th among all 50 states in testing per 100,000 people, according to a Johns Hopkins University analysis of data collected by the COVID Tracking Project.

Though public health experts said testing had flat-lined or even slowed in Florida, state officials have rejected that premise, pointing instead to two-week averages to claim that testing continues to increase.

Manatee County cases from Wednesday to Thursday:

• Cases increased from 2,132 to 2,202.
• The death toll increased by one to 128.
• The median age of those infected is 44.
• Manatee County’s positivity rate remained at 6.4%.
• The number of residents hospitalized since the outbreak remains at 253.

Sarasota cases from Wednesday to Thursday:

• Cases increased from 1,091 to 1,139.
• Sarasota County’s positivity rate increased to 3.5%.
• The death toll increased by one to 96.

Florida cases from Wednesday to Thursday:

• Cases increased from 109,014 to 114,018.
• The death toll increased from 3,281 to 3,327.

Surrounding counties:

• Desoto County cases increased from 513 to 521. The death toll remains at 10.
• Hardee County cases increased from 334 to 340. The death toll remains at two.
• Hillsborough County cases increased from 6,892 to 7,329. The death toll increased from 121 to 127.
• Pinellas County cases increased from 4,387 to 4,669. The death toll increased from 132 to 137.
• Polk County cases increased from 2,454 to 2,571. The death increased from 80 to 84.

This story will be updated.

The Miami Herald contributed to this story.

This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 11:28 AM.