Buchanan described Gary Tibbetts, who had been treated at Manatee Memorial Hospital since July 15 after testing positive for coronavirus, as a “consummate professional.”
“Gary was the consummate professional and a true public servant in every way,” Buchanan said on Facebook. “He touched so many lives and was loved and respected by those who knew him. I will never forget his inspiring spirit, his sense of humor, and his joy in helping others.”
Rep. Buchanan’s office had tweeted a statement earlier this month that Tibbetts had no recent interactions with anyone else in the office. Tibbetts, a field representative, had worked for Buchanan since 2011.
Florida, in recent weeks, has become one of the main critical points of the coronavirus. On Saturday, Florida became the US state with the second highest official coronavirus case count, passing New York, once it was the country’s epicenter at the start of the pandemic.
Florida has reported 414,511 cases since the start of the pandemic, up from New York’s 411,200, according to state health agencies.
The number of hospitalizations has increased by 79% since July 4, data from the state health care administration show.
At least 50 hospital intensive care units in Florida have reached capacity on Saturday, the agency’s data shows.
As Sunshine State Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has continued to resist calls, including a recent letter from the Florida congressional delegation, to consider a mask mandate.
“We have warned that it is something that could have an impact,” DeSantis said in June. “At the same time, doing the police and applying criminal penalties is likely to backfire.”
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