Florida might have passed its peak in positive COVID-19 cases and deaths.
As of April 26, a coronavirus model by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington reported the projected peak in daily deaths was April 1 and peak resource use was expected April 12-24.
However, possibly due to a lack of early testing, Manatee County appeared behind the curve when compared with statewide statistics. Manatee’s projected peak in positive COVID-19 cases? It was projected to hit May 4-12.
So county commissioners, meeting April 21 via teleconference, unanimously voted to authorize spending up to $100,000 for 1,200 COVID-19 testing kits and personal protective equipment.
The county announced April 23 that staff worked with representatives of Manatee County Rural Health and purchased 500 test kits. The tests were available at five medical facilities. People who were experiencing symptoms were screened and tested on-site.
Additionally, the Department of Health announced drive-thru testing at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto, April 29-May 1, up to 80 people a day.
The release said that to be tested, people needed a prescription and an appointment in advance by calling the health department at 941-748-0747.
As of April 21, the county had tested about 0.5% of the population.
So the new goal for tests and equipment was to raise the number to the statewide average of testing 1% of the population by April 28, county administrator Cheri Coryea said during the meeting.
By ordering 1,200 more kits and PPE, along with an order placed with the state April 21 for 600 more kits, the county intended to meet its 1% testing goal, according to Coryea.
“The 1%, we think, is a doable goal with the PPE and the services we have up and running right now,” she said.
At an April 17 county commission meeting, Josh Barnett, Manatee County health care services manager, shared data that showed the county must test 10% of its population — about 40,000 people —to gauge spread.
However, the county determined that much testing was not possible by the end of April, due to statewide demand for test kits.
The Florida Department of Health reported 506 confirmed positive cases in the county as of April 26, out of 3,325 people tested, totaling 15%.
The department reported 31,528 positive cases statewide April 26, out of 346,365 people tested, totaling 9%.
According to Coryea, the state goal to relax social distancing measures for each county is to drop the percentage of positive cases below 13%.
A Holmes Beach resident was the first known person to test positive from Anna Maria Island.
By April 26, two people tested positive on the island, including one in Holmes Beach and one in Bradenton Beach. No cases were reported in Anna Maria.
Also as of April 26, Manatee County ranked 10th in positive cases out of 67 Florida counties and 42 county residents had died due to the virus, totaling 8% of positive cases resulting in death, compared with 3% statewide.
Of the deaths in Manatee County, 18 were residents or staff of long-term care facilities.
Statewide 1,074 people had died of COVID-19, as of April 26.
Jacob Saur, the county’s public safety director, told county commissioners April 21 that 20 coronavirus-related deaths April 17 led to a 65% increase in fatalities April 17-20.
“Florida’s fatalities are trending downward, whereas Manatee fatalities are currently flattened,” he said.
Saur also said the county increased positive cases by 38% between April 17 and April 20.
“Florida’s case count is flattening, whereas Manatee’s is trending upward,” he said.
Dr. Jennifer Bencie, health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, said about half of individuals diagnosed in the county since March 1 were presumptive cleared of the illness.
She said previously that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention required coronavirus patients test negative twice in 24 hours before being cleared. As of April 21, patients who no longer displayed symptoms for 72 hours and more than seven days since the infection was reported, were cleared.
Additionally, Bencie said due to the amount of cases in the state at skilled nursing facilities, Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered that the National Guard may test at SNFs. She said the health department requested the guard administer tests to residents and workers at 45 facilities in the county.
Bencie said 103 positive cases were reported at two SNFs, with 37 employees testing positive.
“We’re waiting to hear from the National Guard. We hope they come in soon,” she said. “The more testing the better.”
Testing to come
During the April 21 meeting, Saur said numbers of positive cases could be deceiving, since the county had not sufficiently tested the population to determine how many people might test positive as carriers while not showing symptoms.
County Commissioner Misty Servia asked Saur why the president recently said states have enough tests, but a representative of Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton told her April 21 that test supplies were short at the hospital and at local labs.
She asked Saur if there was a delay with the federal government getting tests to the state.
Saur said the county placed an order April 21 for 600 more specimen collections kits, which the state provides at no cost, but the state said tests were not readily available.
“The overall message from the state emergency management office is there are no tests,” he said.
It is time that the county “goes out on its own” to pursue tests through private sources, Saur added.
Bencie said county officials would meet with representatives of Manatee Rural Health Services, which had received prompt shipments from its vendor.
Commission Chair Betsy Benac said she wrote a letter April 17 asking the governor and legislative delegation to help get tests. She said State Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, and Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, had received her request and would assist the county in procuring more tests.
Commissioner Carol Whitmore said Galvano notified her that he had secured 300 more tests for the county.
The commission’s unanimously approved motion for up to $100,000 to purchase test kits and PPEs also authorized the county administrator to work with health organizations for testing. The money will come from the county’s disaster emergency fund.
“I think we have a great organization of providers here in Manatee County and they are ready to move forward,” Coryea said. “We just need to facilitate getting the appropriate tests and the PPE that matches up with the tests.”