No coronavirus patients currently at Manatee Memorial or Lakewood Ranch hospitals
There currently are no coronavirus patients at either Manatee Memorial Hospital or Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
The one Manatee County resident who has a confirmed case positive test was reported by Doctors’ Hospital in Sarasota, according to Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center CEO Kevin DiLallo.
One patient was tested at Manatee Memorial Hospital for coronavirus, but that test was negative. Currently, hospital officials are not monitoring any patients for the disease, either.
A spokeswoman for Blake Medical Center in Bradenton referred all questions or requests for comment to the department of health. Blake and Doctors’ Hospital are both HCA-owned hospitals.
Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, announced on social media that he met with Doctors Hospital of Sarasota CEO Robert Meade to discuss their patient who had tested positive. Meade assured him that the hospital was taking all necessary precautions, but those precautions have not been detailed publicly nor has the hospital itself publicly confirmed the patient.
After a briefing with Gov. Ron DeSantis in Tampa on Monday, Manatee County government, public safety and school officials met in Bradenton discuss how to best help the community prepare.
“At this time there is no need for alarm, no need to cancel travel plans or community gatherings,” said Public Safety Director Jacob Saur in a news release. “The risk of transmitting the coronavirus for Manatee County residents remains low. This is a fluid event and as this progresses information and procedures will change. The community and business owners should speak with their employees about staying home when sick and the possibility of allowing employees to work from home as this develops.”
Saur urged residents to maintain good hygiene habits to avoid transmission of the coronavirus or other airborne illnesses.
“Use a tissue to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands often with soap and water and avoid touching your face and eyes with unwashed hands,” Saur said.
The school district said it had no immediate plans for any school closures because of coronavirus. The district is communicating daily with parents via its website, social media channels, automated telephone calls and its mobile app, MySDMC.
More information about coronavirus is available on the county government’s website.
Meanwhile, Manatee County officials will meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state leaders Monday morning behind closed doors to discuss the latest on the two cases of the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19,. in Manatee and Hillsborough counties.
Late Sunday, DeSantis announced the two presumptive positive cases tested at the local public health laboratory and still pending confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The governor also issued an executive order directing Surgeon General Scott Rivkees to declare a public health emergency.
Both cases were confirmed by the CDC early Monday afternoon.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the Manatee resident has not traveled to any of the countries the CDC has identified for restricted travel but the Hillsborough resident has recently traveled to Italy.
DeSantis held a press conference at the Florida Department of Health Tampa Branch Laboratory along with Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees, Deputy Secretary for Health Dr. Shamarial Roberson and Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran provind the latest update on coronavirus in Florida.
Manatee County Director of Public Safety Jacob Saur and Manatee County Schools Superintendent Cynthia Saunders are among those local officials who will be meeting with state officials in Tampa.
Early Monday afternoon, Manatee County Public Safety leaders and staff, first responders, local department of health leaders and healthcare stakeholders in the community will also be meeting about coronavirus. The meeting had already been planned before Sunday’s announcement of a local presumptive positive case.
Emergency management will be tasked in working with the health department to manage the coronavirus situation.
According to the Florida Department of Health, as of Sunday, there were eight additional cases pending test results and 15 cases of negative cases. Another 184 people are also being monitored for the disease.
The new coronavirus, called COVID-19, originated in Wuhan, China, late last year.
This story was originally published March 2, 2020 at 10:26 AM.
