MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A Palmetto patient at the Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center died at Manatee Memorial Hospital early Wednesday morning and a doctor at that hospital suspects coronavirus was the cause, according to the man's sister, Trish Hodges.

"I asked if it was COVID and he said it may be," said Hodges. "He said there have been 20 cases." 

Hodges said she wasn't sure if the doctor was referring to 20 coronavirus cases from Riviera Palms Rehab or at Manatee Memorial Hospital from all facilities in the area. We requested clarification from the hospital but their spokesperson was out of the office.

Hodges said her brother, Clyde "Bill" Sandidge, 68, had pre-existing conditions, Alzheimer's and diabetes, that could have made him more susceptible to the virus. The sister said Sandidge died less than 24 hours after being transferred from Riviera Palms Rehab and she did not get a chance to say goodbye.

"I just feel like, I don't know, if the nursing home had been more observant they could have noticed him being sick," she said. "Maybe somebody could have contacted me in time to say goodbye. I'm just not sure. I don't want to point fingers." 

A source familiar with Riviera Palms Rehab said multiple certified nursing assistants and patients there have tested positive for COVID-19. Hodges, too, said she heard from a staff member that the virus was spreading at the facility.

"When I talked to her about the lockdown, she said they had just been inundated with COVID infections," said Hodges. "They were doing all they could to watch out and take care of the patients." ​

A manager at Riviera Palms Rehab said he could not tell us how many cases they've seen. Instead, he asked us to e-mail Susan Kaar at corporate headquarters. We sent two e-mails before deadline and did not receive a response.

"I hope they can be more careful, Hodges said. "More thorough in checking patients." 

We ask anyone who knows of a Riviera Palms Rehab patient who tested positive for COVID-19 and wishes to talk about it to contact our reporter at josh.rojas@charter.com.