Hospitalizations, demand for testing increase in Manatee as new COVID-19 cases spike
Manatee County has 73 new cases of people who have tested for the coronavirus, according to the latest data released by the Florida Department of Health on Monday. Those new cases are among 5,266 new cases across the state.
There have now been 2,810 people who have tested positive in Manatee County since the pandemic got underway. Statewide, the total of people who’ve tested positive is now 146,341.
No new deaths were reported in Manatee County on Monday, but across the state 28 more residents have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
A total of 3,546 people have died in Florida from COVID-19. That death toll includes 99 non-Florida residents.
In Manatee County, 130 people have died.
As a result of recent spikes in the number of people infected, demand for testing has increased. And so has the number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19.
“Our COVID census has tripled since last week,” Manatee Memorial Hospital CEO Kevin DiLallo told the Bradenton Herald on Monday.
Overall, 7.1% of the 39,610 people in Manatee County who have been tested have been positive for the virus. The percent positive rose one tenth of a percentage point since Sunday.
Of the 489 new test results that were released on Monday, the percent positive was 14.9% — an indicator that the coronavirus is continuing to spread among the community.
Since June 15, the median age for new cases of those have tested positive has been in their 30’s.
Demand for testing spikes
With the exponential increase of cases in the past week, demand for testing has increased. That demand was exceeding the capacity of some testing sites.
On Monday, the capacity at the state-run testing sites in Lincoln Park in Palmetto and near the Mall at University Town Center were increased. In recent days, some testing sites have closed early because officials run out of their daily allotment of supplies.
The walk-up location in Lincoln Park, off 17th Street East, has increased from a maximum of 200 to 500 patients per day. The drive-thru testing site located just south of the Mall at the University Town Center has increased from a maximum of 750 to 1,000 patients per day.
Over the weekend, the Department of Health Manatee County conducted a specimen collection and distributed masks in Myakka City as part of an outreach to migrant farmworkers and the rural population, according to a county report. The department is looking to begin doing similar outreach in some of the county’s mobile home parks.
Coronavirus cases in surrounding counties:
- Sarasota County: Cases increased from 1,401 to 1,447, with an overall 4.1% percent positive. The death toll remains at 96
- Hardee County: Cases increased from 411 to 426, with an overall 17.4% percent positive. The death toll remains at three.
- Hillsborough County: Cases increased from 9,918 to 10,323, with an overall 8.4% percent positive. The death toll increased from 132 to 135.
- Pinellas County: Cases increased from 6,020 to 6,260, with an overall 6.8% percent positive. The death toll remains 154.
Hospitalizations rising
As the number of cases of people with the coronavirus is rising in Manatee County and across Florida, COVID-19 hospitalizations are also on the rise.
Manatee Memorial Hospital now has more than 20 patients with COVID-19, filling one of two COVID units it created. The second unit isn’t being used currently.
“I think we are managing it very well so far,” DiLallo said. “We continue to have visitation in our hospital. We continue to have elective surgeries in our hospitals.”
As of 4 p.m. Monday afternoon, Manatee Memorial Hospital had 202 available beds overall, while Blake Medical Center had 97 and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center had 37, according to the Agency for Health Care Administration’s database. Manatee Memorial had 24 available ICU beds, while Blake Medical Center had five and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center had three.
The data, which isn’t released by the FDOH and up until now has not been used as a reference tool by Manatee County government, is self-reported by hospitals across the state.
Manatee Memorial Hospital is also keeping up with COVID-19 protocols. They are socially distancing and wearing masks, and they have a sufficient supply of personal protective equipment, according to DiLallo.
The hospital is better prepared than it was in March, he explained, saying there is a better understanding of the disease.
But despite that better understanding and control of the situation, he is still unsure what the next step will be.
DiLallo and his staff are keeping a close eye on the rising cases in Manatee County. He says he suspects the number will continue to rise.
“We always have concerns. I think that you have to have concerns,” he said. “If the count gets too high, we’ll take additional measures.”
Going into the holiday weekend, DiLallo emphasized the importance of social distancing and wearing masks.
“We don’t want to spread this disease,” he said.
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 11:30 AM.
