These Tampa Bay Nursing Homes Have Cases Of Coronavirus

TAMPA BAY, FL — After first refusing to reveal the names of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities where residents have tested positive for coronavirus, Gov. Ron DeSantis has done an about-face.

On Saturday, DeSantis said he directed Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees to release the names of facilities where residents or staff tested positive for coronavirus.

Up until Saturday, the Department of Health would only reveal the counties where the nursing homes were located. However, faced with increased pressure from the media and the family members of nursing home patients, DeSantis agreed to provide the information to the public.

As of now, said DeSantis, the number of positive cases at nursing homes and assisted living facilities totals 1,627. Florida has more than 700 nursing homes and more than 3,000 assisted living facilities.

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In Tampa Bay, Pinellas County tops the list for having the most nursing facilities with residents or staff who have tested positive. With 121 nursing homes, Pinellas County also has more nursing facilities than any other county in Tampa Bay. Hillsborough County lists 34 facilities and Pasco County 18 facilities.

The 25 Pinellas County facilities include:

• Bay Tree Center
• Belleair Health Care Center
• Consulate Health Care of Safety Harbor
• Consulate Health Care of St. Petersburg
• Freedom Square Rehabilitation & Nursing Services
• Heron House of Largo
• Highland Pines Rehabilitation Center
• The Inn at Lake Seminole Square
• Lakeside Oaks Care Center
• Manorcare Health Services Dunedin
• Masonic Home of Florida
• Morton Plant Rehabilitation Center
• Palm Garden of Clearwater
• Palm Garden of Largo
• Pinellas Point Nursing and Rehab Center
• Regal Palms
• Seminole Pavilion Rehabilitation & Nursing Services
• South Heritage Health & Rehabilitation Center
• St. Mark Assisted Living Center
• St. Mark Village
• Tierra Pines Center

Hillsborough County facilities include:

• Allegro
• The Bristol at Tampa Rehabilitation and Nursing Center LLC
• Inspired Living at Tampa
• Plaza West
• Promise Pointe at Tampa Oaks
• Rocky Creek Village

Facilities in Pasco County include:

• Grand Villa of New Port Richey
• Royal Oak Nursing Center

Last week, DeSantis announced plans to use members of the Florida National Guard to assist with conducting coronavirus tests at nursing facilities around Florida.

DeSantis said he's already deployed National Guard members to 93 facilities where residents have tested positive for the virus. He said he plans to send four-person "strike teams" to hundreds of additional facilities in an attempt to identify asymptomatic carriers that may be infecting vulnerable nursing home residents.

"We don't know how many people are asymptomatic with it, and we don't know what percentage of the spreaders are asymptomatic,'' he said.

He said, while long-term care facilities may be following guidelines to the letter, a single asymptomatic employee can quickly infect residents who are already at risk due to compromised immune systems.

For a complete list of nursing homes and assisted living facilities around the state with positive coronavirus test results, click here.