DOH reports another 280 new COVID-19 cases in Pinellas

Florida Department of Health added 280 new cases of COVID-19 to Pinellas County’s total on Nov. 20, bringing the tally to 30,286. No new deaths were reported. The death toll stands at 866.

Since Nov. 16, 1,177 more cases and 12 deaths have been reported.

Weekly case counts have been steadily rising and last week more deaths were reported than previous weeks. From Nov. 9-15, 1,331 new cases and 23 more deaths were reported. From Nov. 2-8, 1,434 new cases and eight deaths were reported — 350 more cases than the week before.

From Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 1,084 new cases and seven deaths were reported. From Oct. 19-25, DOH reported 1,031 new cases and 16 deaths. It was the first week since Aug. 3-9 more than 1,000 cases were reported in one week.

The county’s first two cases were reported on March 11, and the first death was confirmed on March 23.

Statewide, the cumulative number of cases increased to 923,418 with 18,110 deaths on Nov. 19. Cases in the United States totaled 11,854,203 with 252,861 deaths. Globally, more than 57.36 million cases have been reported with nearly 1.36 million deaths.

COVID-19 cases in Pinellas included 29,962 residents and 324 non-residents. More cases were in females, 16,069 (54%), to 13,867 in males. Gender was unknown in 26. Ages range from 0-105. Median age was 43. Sixteen percent were Black, and 11% were Hispanic.

About 10% of all cases in the county have been hospitalized since March. DOH reported that 2,740 residents and 30 non-residents had been hospitalized in Pinellas.

Local hospitals had 29% capacity in staffed adult beds (964 of 3,298) on Friday with 26% capacity (85 of 329) in ICU beds. All hospitals had at least one ICU bed available except Morton Plant. According to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, as of 10:30 a.m. Nov. 20, 158 beds were occupied by a COVID-19 patient with 29 in ICU and 19 on a ventilator.

Testing in Pinellas

DOH reported that 6.32% of 4,284 test results on Nov. 19 were positive, 5.24% of 5,025 results on Nov. 18, 6.21% of 3,608 results on Nov. 17, 5.77% of 3,397 on Nov. 16, 5.76% of 2,749 on Nov. 15, 5.53% of 4,154 on Nov. 14, 7.60% of 1,458 on Nov. 13, 5.92% of 3,844 on Nov 12, 7.27% of 3,091 on Nov. 11, 5.46% of 3,583 on Nov. 10, 6.79% of 2,514 on Nov. 9, 9.51% of 1,684 on Nov. 8, 5.98% of 4,831 on Nov. 7, 8.36% of 1,919 on Nov. 6, 7.40% of 3,739 on Nov. 5, 6.17% of 3,192 on Nov. 4, 7.16% of 2,670 on Nov. 3, 5.45% of 2,392 on Nov. 2 and 6.20% of 1,542 on Nov. 1.

For information on testing, contact your health provider, or call the state DOH’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-866-779-6121 or the Pinellas County DOH’s hotline at 727-824-6900. Both numbers are available 24/7. For online information, visit https://covid19.pinellascounty.org/testing/.

Cases in Pinellas County schools

Pinellas County Schools reported on Nov. 20 that 13 more students and three employees had tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 19.

No impact to classrooms or buses was reported from one student testing positive at Clearwater High School, one employee testing positive at McMullen-Booth Elementary School or one employee at San Jose Elementary School.

No impact was reported from one student at Tarpon Springs High School, Pinellas Park High School, East Lake High School or Oak Grove Middle School.

Six partial classrooms were affected by one employee at Lakewood High School, six partial classrooms were affected by one student at Dunedin Highland Middle School and one classroom and one partial bus were affected by one student at Nina Harris ESE.

Seven partial classrooms were affected by one student at Clearwater Fundamental Middle School, nine partial classrooms by three students at Plato Academy charter school in Tarpon Springs and two partial classrooms at Plato Academy charter school in Largo.

Pinellas County Schools reported on Nov. 18 that 14 students and four employees had tested positive for COVID-19.

No impact was reported to classrooms or buses from two students and one employee testing positive at John Hopkins Middle School, one student from McMullen-Booth Elementary School, one employee at Bayside High School or one employee from Anona Elementary School.

No impact was reported from one student at Dunedin Highland Middle School, one student at Clearwater High School, one student at Bear Creek Elementary School and one student at Forest Lakes Elementary School or one student at James B. Sandlin PK-8.

Three partial classrooms were affected by one student testing positive at Northeast High School, six partial classrooms and one partial bus were affected from one student at Palm Harbor University High School, one classroom and four partial classrooms from one student at Pinellas Park High School, and one partial classroom from one student at Sunset Hills Elementary School, one classroom from one employee at Lealman Avenue Elementary School and two partial classrooms from two students at Plato Academy charter school in Pinellas Park.

Pinellas County Schools reported Nov. 18 that 13 students and two employees had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Nov. 17.

No impact was reported to classrooms or buses from students testing positive at Tarpon Springs High School, Tarpon Springs Middle School, Pinellas Technical College Clearwater, Azalea Elementary School or Osceola Fundamental High School.

No impact was reported from an employee testing positive at Douglas Jamerson Elementary School or from an employee and student at Pinellas Primary/Prep Academy.

Eleven partial classrooms were affected by two students who tested positive at Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 School, six partial classrooms were affected by one student at St. Petersburg High School, seven partial classrooms and the varsity football team was affected by one student at Clearwater High School. Six partial classrooms and one partial bus were affected by two students at James B. Sanderlin PK-8, and one partial classroom was affected by one student at Ridgecrest Elementary School.

Pinellas County Schools reported on Nov. 17 that 15 more students and eight employees had tested positive for COVID-19.

No impact was reported to classrooms or buses from students testing positive at Gulfport Elementary School, Pinellas Technical College St. Petersburg, Largo Middle School, Pinellas Park Elementary School, Seventy-Fourth Street Elementary School or Osceola Middle School.

No impact was reported from a student and employee at Tarpon Springs Elementary School or Dunedin High School. No impact was reported from employees testing positive at Palm Harbor High School, Southern Oak Elementary School, Paul B. Stephens School, Gibbs High School, Pinellas Secondary School or Seminole High School.

Five partial classrooms were affected by a student at St. Petersburg High School, three partial classrooms by a student at Highland Lakes Elementary School and seven partial classrooms by two students at Northeast High School.

One classroom and one partial classroom were affected by a student testing positive at Bay Vista Fundamental Elementary School and one partial classroom by one student at Plumb Elementary School.

For more information, visit https://www.pcsb.org/COVID19Cases.

Case counts in local municipalities

DOH provided updated and revised information on the city of residence for cases in Pinellas on Friday, Nov. 20. St. Petersburg has the most with 11,705 cases, 5,866 are Clearwater residents, 3,085 from Largo, 1,859 from Palm Harbor, 1,561 from Seminole, 1,489 from Pinellas Park, 989 from Tarpon Springs, 863 from Dunedin, 569 from Oldsmar, 430 from Safety Harbor, 247 from Clearwater Beach, 210 from Gulfport, 146 from Kenneth City, 146 from South Pasadena, 113 from Indian Rocks Beach, 78 from Belleair, 67 from Madeira Beach, 43 from Crystal Beach, 39 from Belleair Beach, 29 from St. Pete Beach, 27 from North Redington Beach, 25 from Tierra Verde, 20 from Bay Pines, 19 from Treasure Island, six from Lealman, five from Belleair Bluffs, five from Redington Shores, four from Ozona, three from Indian Shores and Redington Beach, one listed as homeless and 307 as missing.

Cases and deaths at long-term care facilities

Since March, 4,505 cases have been reported at long-term care facilities, or 15% of cases in the county.

At least 593 of the county’s deaths were residents or staff at one of the county’s long-term care facilities. Pinellas is No. 3 in the state with reporting 8% of deaths at these facilities. Dade County is No. 1 with 857 deaths, or 12%, and Palm Beach County is No. 2 with 741 deaths, or 10%.

According to a weekly report from DOH, as of Nov. 6, 30 deaths had been reported by Countryside Rehab and Healthcare Center; 26 deaths by Freedom Square Seminole Nursing Pavilion, including one staff member; 26 by Bon Secours Maria Manor Nursing Care Center; 26 by Gulf Shore Care Center; 25 by Jacaranda Manor; 24 by Peninsula Care and Rehabilitation Center; 21 by Oak Manor Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center; 19 by Apollo Health and Rehabilitation Center; 16 by Boca Ciega Center; 14 by Abbey Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and 12 by Freedom Square Rehabilitation & Nursing.

Eleven deaths were reported by Mark Village, Walton Place, Bay Pointe Nursing Pavilion in St. Petersburg, Bardmoor Oaks Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Inn at the Fountains in St. Petersburg, Lexington Health and Rehabilitation Center and Gulfport Rehabilitation Center.

The Oaks of Clearwater and Highland Pines Rehabilitation Center reported 10 deaths. Nine were reported by Tierra Pines Nursing Home in Largo, West Bay of Tampa and The Care Center at Pinellas Park.

Eight deaths were reported by Carrington Place of St. Pete. Seven were reported by St. Petersburg Nursing and Rehabilitation, Arbor Oaks of Tyrone, Kensington Gardens Rehab and Nursing Center and Grand Villa of Largo.

Six were reported by Health and Rehabilitation Centre at Dolphins View, Consulate Health Care of St. Petersburg, Regal Palms, Consulate Health Care of Safety Harbor, Patrick Manor, Stratford Court of Palm Harbor and Palm Garden of Largo.

Five deaths were reported by Alpine Health and Rehabilitation, Seasons Belleair Memory Care in Clearwater, Gateway Care Center of Pinellas, Princeton Village of Largo and Eagle Lake Nursing and Rehab Center.

Four deaths were reported by Seasons Largo, Marion and Bernard L. Samson Center, Evergreen Manor Retirement Home in Safety Harbor, Angel Care Assisted Living Facility in St. Petersburg, Harbourwood Care Center in Clearwater, North Rehabilitation Center, South Heritage Health & Rehabilitation Center, Egret Cove Center in St. Petersburg.

Three were reported by Baytree Lakeside in Kenneth City, Palm Garden of Pinellas, Palm Garden of Clearwater, Masonic Home of Florida in St. Petersburg, Country Inn, Sabal Palms Health Care Center in Largo, Alhambra Health and Rehabilitation Center in St. Petersburg, Belleair Health Center, Harborchase of Palm Harbor, Grand Villa of Pinellas Park, Lakeside Oaks Care Center, Grand Villa of St. Petersburg and Westminster Suncoast.

Two deaths were reported by Bayou Gardens Dunedin, Grand Villa of Clearwater, East Bay Rehabilitation Center in Clearwater, Cross Terrace Rehabilitation Center, Brentwood Senior Living at St. Pete, Bay Tree Center in Palm Harbor, The Inn at Freedom Square, The Inn at Lake Seminole Square, Royal Oaks Manor, Shore Acres Care Center in St. Petersburg, Sunset Point, PARC of St. Petersburg, Heron House of Largo, The Villas at Lakeside Oaks, Pinellas Point Nursing and Rehab Center in St. Petersburg.

One death was reported by Westminster Palms in St. Petersburg, Wrights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Seminole, The Vineyard Inn in Largo, Union House in Clearwater, Sylvan Health Center in Clearwater, Sylvan Terrace in Pinellas Park, Seabreeze Siesta Manor in Clearwater, Grand Villa of Dunedin, Golfview Healthcare Center in St. Petersburg, Heather Haven in Dunedin, Heather Haven II in Dunedin, Magnolia Gardens Assisted Living in Pinellas Park, The Barrington, Addington Place of East Lake, Addington Place of College Harbor in St. Petersburg, Clearwater Center, Bristol Court Assisted Living Community in St. Petersburg, Glen Oaks Health and Rehabilitation Center in Clearwater, Laurellwood Care Center in St. Petersburg, Morton Plant Rehabilitation Center, Elmcroft of Pinecrest in Largo and Bayside Care Center in St. Petersburg.

COVID-19 deaths countywide

In Pinellas, one death has been reported in the 15-24 age group, three deaths in the 25-34 age group, eight in the 35-44 group (1%), 25 in 45-54 (3%), 76 in 55-64 (9%), 172 in 65-74 (20%), 265 in 75-84 (31%) and 316 (36%) in ages 85 and up.

DOH reported four more COVID-19 related deaths on Nov. 19. No details were available. The death toll rose to 866. DOH reported three more COVID-19 related deaths on Nov. 18 and confirmed the death of an 86-year-old man. DOH reported four COVID-19 related deaths on Nov. 17, including two women ages 88 and 82 and two men ages 55 and 53. DOH reported one COVID-19 related death on Nov. 16: a 72-year-old man.

DOH reported one more COVID-19 related death on Nov. 15 and DOH three more on Nov. 14. The Nov. 14 line list listed five deaths: two women ages 94 and 80, and three men ages 85, 77 and 56.

DOH reported one more COVID-19 related death on Nov. 13. DOH reported 11 deaths on Nov. 12, including five women ages 97, 83, 71, 72 and 66 and six men ages 79, 75, 71, 71, 63 and 49. DOH reported five COVID-19 related deaths on Nov. 11, including two women ages 43 and 42 and two men ages 58 and 55.

DOH reported the deaths of a 66-year-old woman and 67-year-old man on Nov. 10. No new COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Nov. 9 or 8. DOH reported the death of a 70-year-old man on Nov. 6, upping the death toll to 831.

DOH reported one more COVID-19 related death on Nov. 5 and confirmed the deaths of two men, ages 77 and 75. DOH reported one more COVID-19 related death on Nov. 4. No further details were available. DOH reported three more COVID-19 related deaths on Nov. 3. No further details were available.

DOH reported two deaths on Nov. 2. DOH added two deaths to Pinellas County’s total on Oct. 31 and also confirmed that three men had died due to COVID-19 ages 77, 72 and 61.

DOH reported the deaths of two men, ages 86 and 62, on Oct. 30 and one death was reported on Oct. 29. No further details were available. DOH confirmed the death of a 93-year-old woman on Oct. 28, but the death count remained the same. DOH reported two deaths on Oct. 27. Both were women, ages 89 and 73. No deaths were reported on Oct. 26.

Local state of emergency, face mask order

Pinellas County Commissioners voted unanimously Nov. 17 to extend the local state of emergency through Nov. 27.

Dr. Ulyee Choe reported a continued increase in seven-day rolling averages for new COVID-19 cases, percentage of positive tests and hospital capacity.

The countywide ordinance requiring that face masks be worn in indoor public places when social distancing is not possible also remains in effect. The ordinance requires that retail employees wear face coverings unless in an area that is not open to the public with social distancing measures in place.

Restaurants and staff at bars can only serve people who are seated. Social distancing of 6 feet must be maintained. Staff also must wear face masks when preparing or serving food or beverages indoors and outdoors. Customers do not have to wear masks while eating or drinking. No congregating at the bars or in any area is allowed.

The ordinance includes several exemptions for those that might not be able to wear a face masks; however, private businesses do not have to allow for those exemptions.

For more information on the county’s response to the coronavirus, visit https://covid19.pinellascounty.org/.

Statewide cases top 920,000 with 17,889 deaths

The number of confirmed cases in Florida residents was up to 910,065 on Friday. Another 13,353 cases were reported in non-residents, bringing the total to 923,418 — 9,085 more than reported the day before.

The numbers are cumulative going back to March 4. DOH has not provided information on how many people have recovered.

The number of deaths in Florida residents increased to 17,889 deaths, which is 79 more than the number reported Thursday. DOH also reported that 221 non-residents have died, bringing the state’s death toll to 18,110.

DOH reports that 53,091 residents have been hospitalized statewide, which is 226 more than the number reported on Thursday. No information was available about non-residents.

Testing statewide

DOH reported that 7.64% of 107,398 test results on Nov. 19 were positive, 7.58% of 109,723 results on Nov. 18, 8.16% of 87,553 on Nov. 17, 8.64% of 77,756 on Nov. 16, 7.95% of 52,450 on Nov. 15, 7.57% of 121,155 on Nov. 14, 9.95% of 40,309 on Nov. 13, 7.95% of 78,559 on Nov. 12, 7.35% of 69,809 on Nov. 11, 7.82% of 67,416 on Nov. 10, 8.34% of 47,437 test results on Nov. 9 were positive, 8.07% of 44,165 results on Nov. 8, 6.23% of 99,876 on Nov. 7, 8.28% of 48,766 results on Nov. 6, 6.36% of 75,475 on Nov. 5, 6.20% of 93,277 on Nov. 4, 7.75% of 52,331 on Nov. 3, 7.58% of 56,063 on Nov. 2 and 6.47% of 39,169 results on Nov. 1.

National cases up to 11.85 million with 252,861 deaths

According to information from Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, posted at 5:30 p.m. Friday, cases of the coronavirus reported in the United States were up to 11,854,203 with 252,861 deaths compared to 11,674,074 with 251,445 deaths at 6 p.m. Thursday. The number of global cases increased to 57,365,049 with 1,364,959 deaths compared 56,724,621 with 1,356,049 deaths on Thursday.

For more information on the coronavirus, visit www.floridahealth.gov/index.html.

Suzette Porter is TBN’s Pinellas County editor. She can be reached at sporter@tbnweekly.com.

Note: All numbers are provisional and subject to change.