More than 130 Manatee kids found with coronavirus in past two weeks. School starts Monday

More than 1,100 children in Manatee County have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the start of the pandemic in March. The Florida Department of Health on Friday reported that almost 12% of those cases had been diagnosed in the two weeks leading to start of the school year on Monday.

As of Friday, a total 1,131 people younger than 18 have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the health department. Of those, 134, or 11.8% were diagnosed between July 31 and Aug. 14.

The health department said 1,325 Manatee County children had been tested during those two weeks, with a test positivity rate of 10.1%, the same as in Sarasota County where 92 of 915 children tested were positive. The statewide positivity rate for children during the same period was 14.1%.

A total of 8,399 Florida children tested positive for the novel coronavirus between July 31 and Aug. 14, according to the health department.

Manatee County ranked No. 12 out of 67 Florida cases for the number pediatric cases diagnosed during the past two weeks.

Seven children in Florida — including a 17-year-old Manatee County boy — have died from COVID-19.

This story was originally published August 15, 2020 at 6:44 AM.