WASHINGTON — Florida health officials released stark new data late Friday showing that deaths in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities appear to have accounted for 60% of the deaths in Florida this past week from COVID-19.
The Florida Department of Health reported a total of 665 deaths from COVID-19 at such facilities, an increase of 242 deaths from last week’s report.
In the same time period, the state’s overall toll increased by 401 deaths.
The state first released data detailing deaths in long-term care facilities last week under pressure from The Miami Herald and other news organizations, who filed a lawsuit over denial of public records. As with last week’s data, the report raised a number of questions. For instance, there were eight facilities on the newly updated list of long-term care deaths then that didn’t appear on a list of homes with COVID-19 cases — as opposed to deaths — released earlier in the day.
To date, patients and staff at nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other long-term care providers have accounted for four out every 10 deaths in the state from COVID-19.
The Seminole Pavilion Rehabilitation & Nursing Services home in Seminole has accounted for the most deaths in the state — 22 residents and one staff member.
Three other nursing homes — the Braden River Rehabilitation Center in Bradenton, the Highlands Lake Center in Lakeland and the Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation Center in Live Oak — each had 18 deaths.
Source: The Herald
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