MANATEE COUNTY – The Braden River Rehabilitation Center and the Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center rank among the highest in Florida in COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
As of Sunday evening, there were 34 reported COVID-19 deaths among residents or staff members at nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other long-term care facilities (LTCF) in Manatee County, according to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) daily data report.
According to data compiled from two additional FDOH reports, the Braden River Rehabilitation Center nursing home in Bradenton reported 13 resident deaths, one staff member death, 31 facility residents who tested positive for COVID-19, 11 residents who tested positive and were transferred elsewhere and 30 staff members who tested positive.
The Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center nursing home in Palmetto reported nine resident deaths, no staff member deaths, 20 COVID-19-positive residents, 15 positive residents transferred elsewhere and 10 positive staff members.
As of Sunday, those two facilities reported 23 of the 59 COVID-19 deaths (39%) in Manatee County. Braden River Rehabilitation Center and two other facilities in Florida rank highest in the state; Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center and two other facilities rank third-highest in the state.
Manatee County has consistently ranked fourth-highest in the state in LTCF cases and deaths, with only Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties reporting more.
On Tuesday, April 21, Dr. Jennifer Bencie, of the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, told county commissioners about two nursing homes owned by the same company and reporting a total of 103 COVID-19 cases among their residents and staff members.
Bencie said some staff members worked at both facilities and some also worked at other facilities where residents and/or staff members tested positive.
“We need to keep an eye on the staff. They’re the ones who are bringing it in,” Bencie said.
Bencie did not identify the two facilities that shared ownership, but Braden River Rehabilitation Center and Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center are owned by LLCs that share the same mailing address and registered agent.
Additional LTCF deaths and cases
As of Sunday, the Casa Mora Rehabilitation and Extended Care nursing home in Bradenton reported three resident deaths, no staff member deaths, nine positive residents, three transferred positive residents and five positive staff members.
The Manatee Springs Rehabilitation and Nursing Center nursing home in Bradenton reported two resident deaths, eight positive residents and 12 positive staff members.
The Brookdale Bradenton Gardens assisted living facility in Bradenton reported one resident death, five positive residents, five transferred positive residents and no positive staff members.
The Bradenton Health Care nursing home on Cortez Road in Bradenton reported no COVID-19 related deaths, nine transferred positive residents and 11 positive staff members.
The Life Care Center of Sarasota nursing home in north Sarasota reported one COVID-19-positive staff member.
The Neuro Restorative Florida assisted living facility in north Sarasota reported one positive staff member.
The Residence at Bay Vue assisted living facility in Bradenton reported two positive staff members.
The Surrey Place Healthcare and Rehabilitation nursing home in Bradenton reported one transferred COVID-19-positive resident.
The Westminster Point Pleasant nursing home in Bradenton reported one transferred positive resident.
Reporting complexities
The FDOH daily data reports that exceed 550 pages now only list by county the number of COVID-19 LTCF deaths. Those reports previously listed deaths and cases together.
Separate reports pertaining to LTCF deaths and LTCF cases are now posted at www.floridahealthcovid19.gov at the bottom of the home page. In the LTCF death reports, facilities are listed according to the number of deaths with no reference to location. LTCF case reports are listed according to county with no reference to deaths.
Depending on when those reports are published, the data contained in the LTCF reports may not exactly match the number of LTCF deaths listed in the daily data report.
The formatting and the details included in the LTCF reports has changed continually since the first COVID-19-positive LTCF list was published on April 18. The early LTCF lists only reported by county the facilities reporting COVID-19 cases among residents and/or staff members. No other details were provided.
Nursing home and assisted living facility deaths are also listed in the COVID data reports compiled regularly by the 22 district medical examiners in Florida, but those reports are not available to the media or the public.
Related coverage
Two long-term care facilities in Manatee County report more than 100 COVID-19 cases.
