Manatee County adds 16 more COVID deaths and 180 cases. Local positivity rate ticks up

Sixteen more Manatee County residents have died of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Manatee County’s death toll during the COVID-19 pandemic now totals 564 residents.

Another 180 people have also tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Manatee, according to the state health department. They were among 7,324 new cases confirmed statewide on Wednesday.

Florida ranks fourth for new COVID-19 cases and deaths over the past week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

In Manatee County, the average positivity rate has ticked up this week compared to last, but it remains lower than rates seen over the past several months.

Over the last seven days, an average of 6.5% of Manatee County test results were new positive cases. That compares to 6% the week prior and 8.1% a month ago.

As of Tuesday, 42,352 people in Manatee County had received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including 19,836 people who had been fully inoculated.

Statewide, over 2.4 million people have received at least a first dose and over 1.1 million have been fully inoculated.

Manatee County from Tuesday to Wednesday

• Cases increased from 30,557 to 30,737.
• The death toll increased from 548 to 564.
  
  
• Resident hospitalizations since the outbreak increased from 1,317 to 1,323.
  
  

• Manatee County’s daily rate of new positive cases decreased from 8.1% to 6.8%.

• 1,325 cases (4% of all cases) and 179 deaths (32% of all deaths) were among residents and staff of long-term care facilities in Manatee.

• The official count of people vaccinated against COVID-19 increased from 41,480 to 42,352.
  
  
• 22,516 people have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 19,836 have been fully inoculated.
  
  

Florida from Tuesday to Wednesday

• Cases increased from 1,837,285 to 1,844,627.
  
  
• The resident death toll rose from 29,154 to 29,311. The non-resident death toll increased from 505 to 513.
  
  

• Florida’s daily rate of new positive cases decreased from 6.6% to 6.4%.

• The official count of people vaccinated against COVID-19 increased from 2,430,637 to 2,487,055.
  
  

• 1,305,889 people have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 1,181,166 have been fully inoculated.

Surrounding counties:

• Sarasota County cases increased from 26,071 to 26,193. The death toll was adjusted from 701 to 700.
• Desoto County cases increased from 3,583 to 3,612. The death toll remained at 71.
• Hardee County cases increased from 2,725 to 2,734. The death toll remained at 26.
• Hillsborough County cases increased from 106,996 to 107,513. The death toll increased from 1,418 to 1,427.
• Pinellas County cases increased from 63,568 to 63,871. The death toll increased from 1,384 to 1,385.

This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 3:51 PM.