Official COVID death toll in Manatee County hits 400 with death of two more residents
Two Manatee County residents were among the 177 Florida residents confirmed on Wednesday to have died from COVID-19, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The official death toll for Manatee County residents now stands at 400.
The deaths of two non-residents from COVID-19 were also reported.
In Florida, a total of 20,490 people have died from COVID, including 286 nonresidents.
Statewide, there were also 11,541 new positive cases of the coronavirus reported on Wednesday. Cases in Florida now total 1,155,335.
Manatee County had 177 of those new cases, raising the local case total since the start of the pandemic to 19,389.
Hospitalizations continue to climb across the state. On Wednesday, according to the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration, there were 5,156 patients admitted in the state with COVID-19 as a primary diagnosis and reason for admission — a 13% increase compared to a week ago.
Locally, hospitalizations have also increased with 61 patients admitted to one of the county’s three general hospitals who were positive for the coronavirus, according to data collected by county emergency management officials. Fourteen of those patients were being treated in an ICU.
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center was at capacity, according to the county’s data, which accounts for available staffing. Blake Medical Center had four non-ICU beds staffed and available and no ICU beds.
Manatee Memorial Hospital had 19 available non-ICU beds and four ICU beds, according to AHCA, which does not account for staffing.
Surrounding counties:
- Sarasota County cases increased from 16,031 to 16,189. The death toll rose from 445 to 450.
- Desoto County cases increased from 2,628 to 2,644. The death toll rose from 46 to 48.
- Hardee County cases increased from 1,894 to 1,907. The death toll remained at 20.
- Hilllsborough County cases increased from 66,548 to 67,060. The death toll dropped from 996 to 1,011.
- Pinellas County cases increased from 38,457 to 38,783. The death toll rose from 957 to 966.
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 3:36 PM.
