Eight more local residents have succumbed to COVID-19 as new cases of the deadly virus continue to spike in and around The Villages.
Three of the latest fatalities lived in Sumter County, three in Lake County and two in Marion County. The only ones identified by the Florida Department of Health on Friday were the Marion County residents – a 59-year-old man who tested positive Nov. 19 and an 86-year-old woman who tested positive Nov. 20.
Friday’s COVID-19 statistics reflect two days of numbers, as the health department failed to report any data on Thanksgiving Day. But they clearly show a trend of cases continuing to increase at a rapid rate across the tri-county area and the Sunshine State.
A total of 108 new COVID-19 cases were reported Friday in and around The Villages. Those include:
- The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 36 for a total of 1,219;
- Leesburg up 20 for a total of 1,757;
- Summerfield up 19 for a total of 572;
- Belleview up 15 for a total of 496;
- Lady Lake up eight for a total of 483;
- Wildwood up four for a total of 527;
- Fruitland Park up four for a total of 242; and
- Oxford up two for a total of 175.
Sumter County is now reporting 3,412 cases – an increase of 59 from Wednesday to Friday – among 1,913 men, 1,464 women, 19 non-residents and 16 people listed as unknown. A total of 226 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 801 in correctional facilities. There have been 95 deaths and 317 people treated in area hospitals.
The Villages continues to pace Sumter County with 1,101 cases – an increase of 35 in a 48-hour period. Besides those mentioned above in Wildwood and Oxford, others have been identified in Coleman (716), Wildwood (527), Bushnell (430, 158 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 107 inmates and 51 staff members), Oxford (175), Webster (136), Lake Panasoffkee (106), Center Hill (75), Sumterville (66) and the Lady Lake portion of the county (54). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting 119 cases among 12 inmates and 107 staff members.
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 26,747 – increase of 493
- Men: 12,042
- Women: 14,390
- Non-residents: 150
- People listed as unknown: 165
- Deaths: 727
- Hospitalizations: 2,311
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 10,472 – increase of 199
- Men: 4,813
- Women: 5,431
- Non-residents: 92
- People listed as unknown: 136
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 741
- Cases in correctional facilities: 283
- Deaths: 253
- Hospitalizations: 832
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (2,788), Leesburg (1,757), Tavares (930), Eustis (884) and Mount Dora (817). The Villages also is reporting 60 cases.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 12,863 – increase of 235
- Men: 5,316
- Women: 7,495
- Non-residents: 39
- People listed as unknown: 13
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 1,202
- Cases in correctional facilities: 2,267
- Deaths: 379
- Hospitalizations: 1,162
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (10,011), Summerfield (572), Dunnellon (506), Belleview (496) and Citra (225). The Villages is reporting 58 cases. A total of 1,432 cases have been reported among inmates (1,318) and staff members (114) at Lowell Correctional Institution and Marion Correctional Institution.
All told, Florida is reporting 979,020 cases – an increase of 17,344 from Wednesday to Friday. Of those, 963,751 are residents. A total of 55,929 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 25,628 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 18,596 deaths and 54,467 people have been hospitalized.
