Four More Manatee Schools Report Coronavirus Cases

BRADENTON, FL — Four more Manatee County schools reported their first cases of the coronavirus this week as the total number of positive cases in the district climbed to 54 cases in 29 schools since the start of the school year.

Abel Elementary, Bashaw Elementary, Johnson K-8 and Prine Elementary all reported their first cases of the virus since Tuesday.

The School District of Manatee County reported a total of 11 new cases of the virus over that same time period. The school-specific dashboard launched on Sept. 3.

District spokesman Michael Barber said previously that school officials have coordinated their response to the coronavirus outbreak with the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County.

"When a confirmed COVID-19 cases has been identified as having recently been in our schools or district facilities, a portion or parts of of the campus is usually sanitized with a special disinfectant that is used in addition to the regular cleaning and sanitization done by the school’s custodial staff on a daily basis," Barber said earlier.

The total number of confirmed cases in the district increased from 43 cases in 25 schools as of Tuesday.

Barber said district employees and students are told to stay home if they have any of the following symptoms:

• Fever of 100.4 or higher
• Sore throat
• Newly uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain or
• New onset of a severe headache (especially with a fever).

The school-specific dashboard was intended to provide transparency for parents of school children.

See related:

• Manatee Schools Report 5 More Coronavirus Cases
• Manatee Schools Report 38 Cases Of Coronavirus In 22 Schools

"The dashboard shows any positive cases identified on our school campuses," a district spokeswoman told Patch previously. You can view the dashboard here.

The Manatee District’s dashboard displays the number of confirmed cases in individual Manatee District schools and support sites dating back to the start of school on Aug. 17.

The following Manatee schools were listed on the dashboard as of Friday with cases of the virus. Schools with new cases are shown in bold:

• Abel Elementary: One case
• Ballard Elementary: Two cases
• Bashaw Elementary: One case
• Bayshore Elementary: One case
• Blackburn Elementary: Two cases
• Braden River High: Two cases (one new case)
• Braden River Middle: Four cases (three new cases)
• Gullett Elementary: One case
• Harvey Elementary: Three cases
• Johnson K-8: One case
• Lakewood Ranch High: One case
• Lee Middle: One case
• Lincoln Memorial Academy: One case
• Manatee High: Four cases
• MTC All Campuses: Five cases
• Mills Elementary: One case
• Moody Elementary: One case
• Nolan Middle: Two cases
• Palma Sola Elementary: Two cases
• Palmetto Elementary: One case
• Palmetto High: Two cases
• Parrish Community High: One case
• Prine Elementary: One Case
• Samoset Elementary: Two cases
• Southeast High: Two cases (one new case)
• Sugg Middle: One case
• Tara Elementary: Three cases (one new case)
• Williams Elementary: Three cases
• Willis Elementary: One case

In addition to informing those individuals directly impacted, the school will send out a Connect-Ed phone message or email to all employees and parents to let them know there has been a confirmed case or cases on their campus and that there have been direct exposures if applicable.

"The Connect-Ed message sent out to the general school community does not contain details which violate laws under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)," school officials said previously.