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The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lake County resident succumbs to COVID-19 as virus continues to slam The Villages

A Lake County resident has died of COVID-19 as the deadly virus continues to run rampant through the Sumter County portion of The Villages and surrounding communities.

The Lake County victim was identified only as an 89-year-old woman who tested positive for the Coronavirus on June 15. No specific information about where she lived was provided by the Florida Department of Health.

Seven new cases have been identified in the Sumter County portion of The Villages. That brings to the total in the sprawling retirement mecca to 129 – 117 in Sumter County, 10 in Lake County and two in the Marion County portion of the mega-retirement community. Of those Sumter County cases, 50 have been reported since June 15.

Specific information about the latest Villagers to be diagnosed with COVID-19 wasn’t provided by the Florida Department of Health. But the newest patients in Sumter County have been identified as:

  • 60-year-old female;
  • 77-year-old female who hadn’t traveled recently;
  • 63-year-old male;
  • 46-year-old female;
  • 74-year-old female;
  • 50-year-old male who had been in contact with another patient recently;
  • 32-year-old female;
  • 55-year-old male;
  • 54-year-old female;
  • 47-year-old female;
  • 72-year-old female;
  • 80-year-old male;
  • 75-year-old female;
  • 27-year-old female;
  • 86-year-old female;
  • 75-year-old female;
  • 48-year-old male;
  • 69-year-old male who had been in contact with another patient recently;
  • 60-year-old female;
  • 55-year-old male;
  • 76-year-old male; and
  • 83-year-old male.

Twenty-seven Coronavirus cases also have been reported in communities just outside the confines of The Villages. Those include:

  • Leesburg up 13 for a total of 202;
  • Summerfield up four for a total of 64;
  • Lady Lake up two for a total of 34;
  • Oxford up two for a total of 25;
  • Fruitland Park up three for a total of 21; and
  • Wildwood up three for a total of 20.

Overall, the tri-county area was reporting 2,684 COVID-19 case – an increase of 19 from Wednesday to Thursday – among 1,344 men, 1,303 women, 27 non-residents and 10 people listed as unknown. There have been 50 deaths and 248 people have been hospitalized.

Lake County continues to lead the way in the local area with 1,508 cases – an increase of 98 in a 24-hour period – among 739 men, 743 women, 19 non-residents and seven people listed as unknown. There have been 23 deaths and 126 people have required some form of hospital care.

Clermont continues to pace Lake County with 387 cases, while Tavares has 236. Of those, 150 have been identified at the Lake County Jail among 124 inmates and 26 staff members. Four jail employees and one inmate are being treated in area hospitals, according to Lt. John Herrell.

Other Lake County cases have been identified in Eustis (164), Mount Dora (94), Groveland (90), Minneola (38), Sorrento (38), Mascotte (31), Umatilla (23), Montverde (20), Howey-in-the-Hills (13), Grand Island (12), Yalaha (9), Okahumpka (7), Altoona (6), Astor (5), Paisley (4), Astatula (3) and Mount Plymouth (1).

Sumter County is now reporting 387 cases – an increase of 19 in 24 hours. Those are divided among 241 men, 140 women, three non-residents and three people listed as unknown. There have been 17 deaths and 50 people hospitalized.

Bushnell continues to report the most cases in Sumter County with 144 – 120 of which have been identified at the Sumter Correctional Institution). Other cases have been reported in Lake Panasoffkee (25), Webster (16), Center Hill (13), Lady Lake portion of the county (7), Coleman (7) and Sumterville (6). The federal prison in Coleman also has identified eight cases among seven staff members and one inmate.

Marion County how has 789 cases – an increase of 62 – among 364 men, 420 women and five non-residents. There have been 10 deaths and 72 people have been seen in area hospitals.

The overwhelming majority of Marion County cases – 496 – have been reported in Ocala – an increase of 48 in a 24-hour period. Other cases have been identified in Belleview (40), Dunnellon (32), Citra (17), Ocklawaha (13), Weirsdale (8), Silver Springs (8), Reddick (8), Anthony (6), Candler (3) and Fort McCoy (2).

All told, Florida is reporting 169,106 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 10,019 in a 24-hour period. Of those, 166,303 are residents. There have been 3,718 deaths and 15,150 people have been hospitalized across the Sunshine State. Those numbers show 68 more deaths since Wednesday and an additional 325 people being treated in hospitals.

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