As Manatee County reopens, the COVID-19 numbers are ‘scary.’ We need answers | Letter to the editor

Over the weekend there was a lot of clamor about how Manatee County could be one of the next hot spots for COVID-19. I think this is incorrect. We already are!

Looking at the latest numbers through Saturday, Manatee County had almost twice the number of positive cases per 1,000 population as surrounding counties (Manatee 1.51, Hillsborough 0.84, Pinellas 0.78 and Sarasota 0.86). More disturbing, the death rate per thousand population is about nine times higher than that for Hillsborough County and 3 ½ times that for Pinellas County (Manatee 0.146, Hillsborough 0.016, Pinellas 0.043 and Sarasota 0.109).

Disturbingly, even if deaths attributed to residents of long-term care facilities and nursing homes were excluded (approximately 50% of deaths), Manatee’s death rate would still be 4 times higher than Hillsborough County. Manatee County has tested less than 1% of the population and has recorded about a 15% positive rate!

These numbers are abysmal even for Florida. Yet our elected officials are scrambling to open as many opportunities as possible for its citizens to become infected. I think the citizens of Manatee County should be demanding answers from both elected and health care officials.

Our numbers are appallingly scary and demand remediation, NOW!

Thomas Casale

Palmetto