Two more patients suffering from the Coronavirus were identified in Fruitland Park on Thursday as the tri-county area spiked to 751 total cases.
Overall, the number of cases in Sumter, Lake and Marion counties increased by 10 from Wednesday to Thursday among 407 men, 324 women and 20 non-residents. There have been 36 deaths and 145 people have required hospitalization.
Sumter County increased by just one COVID-19 case from Wednesday to Thursday. That brings the total number to 254 divided among 180 men, 71 women and three non-residents. There have been 17 deaths and 44 people have been hospitalized.
Of the Sumter County cases, 121 are in Bushnell, with all but three of those being at the Sumter Correctional Institution (16 staff members and 102 inmates). Another 62 are being reported in The Villages, 16 are in Oxford and nine are in Wildwood. Other Sumter County areas reporting COVID-19 cases include Lake Panasoffkee (22), Webster (7), Lady Lake portion of the county (6), Sumterville (5) and Coleman (3). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting five cases among three staff members and two inmates.
Lake County showed an increase of four cases to 264. Those are comprised of 127 men, 125 women and 12 non-residents. There have been 14 deaths and 31 hospitalizations connected to the virus.
The majority of the Lake County cases – 87 – are in Clermont. Forty-three have been reported in Leesburg, 10 in Lady Lake, seven in The Villages portion of the county and four in Fruitland Park. Other Lake County cases have been identified in Eustis (21), Tavares (19), Groveland (17), Mount Dora (16), Mascotte (12), Minneola (6), Sorrento (3), Okahumpka (1), Umatilla (1), Howey-in-the-Hills (1), Montverde (1), Grand Island (1), Paisley (1) and Yalaha (1).
Half of the new tri-county COVID-19 cases were reported in Marion County, where 233 patients have been identified among 100 men, 128 women and five non-residents. There have been five deaths and 31 people have been hospitalized.
The overwhelming majority of Marion County cases – 165 – have been reported in Ocala, with another 26 in Summerfield. Others have been identified in Dunnellon (11), Citra (7), Belleview (8), Ocklawaha (4), Anthony (3), Reddick (2), Silver Springs (1) and The Villages (1).
It’s unclear if any of the Summerfield cases are in the retirement communities of Del Webb Spruce Creek, Stonecrest or Spruce Creek South, as the Florida Department of Health doesn’t release that specific information.
All told, Florida is reporting 48,675 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 1,204 in a 24-hour period. Of those, 47,381 are Sunshine State residents. There have been 2,144 deaths and 8,946 people have required some form of hospital care at hospitals across the state.
