15 Manatee residents among 216 new COVID-19 deaths in Florida. Numbers shatter records
The deaths of 15 Manatee County residents from COVID-19 were among the 216 deaths confirmed across the state by the Florida Department of Health on Wednesday. Both figures set new daily records for coronavirus deaths locally and in Florida.
The official death toll in Manatee County now stands at 173. Statewide, the official death toll has reached 6,333.
The record number of deaths comes about three weeks after hospitalizations from the respiratory disease spiked, causing the county’s three general hospitals to reach capacity levels.
Eight of the 15 latest local COVID-19 deaths are residents or staffers at long-term care facilities.
Staff bringing the virus in from the community continues to be problematic at these facilities, FDOH Manatee County health officer Dr. Jennifer Bencie stressed during the meeting of county board of commissioners in which a mask mandate was enacted.
The health department also confirmed 9,446 new positive cases of the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. The total number of infections in Florida is now 451,423.
In Manatee County, there were 97 new positive cases of the coronavirus. A total of 8,187 people have now been infected since the pandemic started.
There was little change in hospitalizations due to COVID-19 locally on Wednesday. A total of 140 patients who are positive for the coronavirus are hospitalized in one of the county’s three general hospitals, two fewer than the day before. Of those COVID-19 patients, 32 are in intensive care.
According to the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration, there were 124 patients whose primary reason for hospitalization was COVID-19, a decrease of three from Tuesday.
Blake Medical Center remained at capacity as it has been all week long, with the remaining hospitals having a total of 15 available beds, including two ICU beds.
The breakdown among hospitals of COVID-19 cases and available beds was:
- Manatee Memorial Hospital: 57 COVID-19 positive patients, 10 of whom are in ICU, four available non-ICU beds and three available ICU beds.
- Lakewood Ranch Medical Center: 24 COVID-19 positive patients, seven of whom are in ICU, nine available non-ICU beds and one available ICU bed.
- Blake Medical Center: 59 COVID-19 positive patients, 15 of whom are in ICU.
Wednesday’s new test results had a 11.6% positivity rate in Manatee County. The county’s overall rate remains at 10.7% and the state’s overall rate stands at 12.8%.
A backlog of testing results from commercial labs continue to be a problem. At MCR Health, which has conducted about 25 percent of coronavirus tests in the county, there are 1,153 test results pending.
Surrounding counties:
- Sarasota County cases increased from 5,168 to 5,274. The death toll remains at 115.
- DeSoto County cases increased from 1,205 to 1,227. The death toll remains at 14.
- Hardee County cases increased from 789 to 805. The death toll rose from five to six.
- Hillsborough County cases increased from 27,483 to 27,823. The death toll rose from 298 to 310.
- Pinellas County cases increased from 15,339 to 15,541. The death toll rose from 378 to 395.
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 11:02 AM.
