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The Villages
Tuesday, January 28, 2025

5 more local COVID-19 deaths as Villages-area cases continue to rise

Five more local residents have lost their battle with COVID-19 as the number of cases in The Villages and surrounding communities continues to rise.

One of the latest fatalities was identified as a Sumter County resident, while two each lived in Lake and Marion counties. They were identified Friday by the Florida Department of Health as:

  • Sumter 83-year-old Sumter County woman who tested positive Oct. 3;
  • Lake County woman who tested positive Aug. 3;
  • Lake 88-year-old Lake County woman who tested positive Oct. 8;
  • Marion 76-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Oct. 1; and
  • Marion 69-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Oct. 5.

Twenty-five new COVID-19 cases were reported Friday in and around The Villages. Those include:

  • The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up five for a total of 751;
  • Wildwood up five for a total of 448;
  • Belleview up five for a total of 376;
  • Summerfield up four for a total of 423;
  • Leesburg up four for a total of 1,339;
  • Oxford up one for a total of 139; and
  • Fruitland Park up one for a total of 181.

Sumter County is now reporting 2,731 cases – an increase of 15 from Thursday to Friday – among 1,547 men, 1,163 women, 10 non-residents and 11 people listed as unknown. A total of 205 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 738 in correctional facilities. There have been 79 deaths and 270 people treated in area hospitals.

The Villages continues to pace Sumter County with 705 cases. Besides those mentioned above in Wildwood and Oxford, other cases have been identified in Coleman (655), Bushnell (322, 140 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 103 inmates and 37 staff members), Webster (99), Lake Panasoffkee (85), Center Hill (54), Sumterville (45) and the Lady Lake portion of the county (41). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting 206 cases among 103 inmates and 103 staff members.

Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:

TRI-COUNTY AREA

  • Cases: 21,159 – increase of 95
  • Men: 9,486
  • Women: 11,465
  • Non-residents: 84
  • People listed as unknown: 124
  • Deaths: 628
  • Hospitalizations: 1,990

LAKE COUNTY

  • Cases: 8,083 – increase of 36
  • Men: 3,723
  • Women: 4,200
  • Non-residents: 54
  • People listed as unknown: 106
  • Cases in long-term care facilities: 652
  • Cases in correctional facilities: 267
  • Deaths: 214
  • Hospitalizations: 691
  • Cities with most cases: Clermont (2,000), Leesburg (1,339), Tavares (764), Eustis (638) and Mount Dora (620). The Villages also is reporting 40 cases.

MARION COUNTY

  • Cases: 10,345 – increase of 44
  • Men: 4,216
  • Women: 6,102
  • Non-residents: 33
  • People listed as unknown: 1,029
  • Cases in long-term care facilities: 1,050
  • Cases in correctional facilities: 2,236
  • Deaths: 335
  • Hospitalizations: 1,029
  • Cities with most cases: Ocala (7,917), Summerfield (423), Belleview (376), Dunnellon (354) and Citra (192). The Villages is reporting six cases. A total of 1,424 cases also have been reported among inmates (1,318) and staff members (106) at Lowell Correctional Institution and Marion Correctional Institution.

All told, Florida is reporting 748,437 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 3,449 from Thursday to Friday. Of those, 739,050 are residents. A total of 49,150 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 23,645 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 16,030 deaths and 46,862 people have been hospitalized.

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