Three more tri-county residents have succumbed to the COVID-19 virus as Florida surpassed 300,000 cases of the fast-spreading illness.
Two of the victims were from Marion County and were identified as two 85-year-old men who lived in Ocala and Silver Springs. One had no travel history and tested positive on July 5. The second one, who tested positive July 8, also hadn’t traveled recently but had been in contact with another patient.
The third victim was identified as a 74-year-old Lake County woman who tested positive on June 19. No specific information about where the woman lived was released Wednesday by the Florida Department of Health.
Four more Villagers also tested positive for COVID-19 – all of whom reside in the Sumter County portion of the mega-retirement community. All told, Florida’s Friendliest Hometown is reporting 278 cases – 260 in Sumter County where the vast majority of Villages homes are located, 16 in Lake County and two in the Marion County portion of the sprawling retirement mecca.
Seventy-five new cases also were reported Wednesday just outside the confines of The Villages. Those include:
- Leesburg up 25 for a total of 388;
- Belleview up 16 for a total of 113;
- Summerfield up 15 for a total of 130;
- Wildwood up 11 for a total of 94;
- Lady Lake up two for a total of 89;
- Oxford up two for a total of 43;
- Lady Lake portion of Sumter County up four for a total of 15.
Overall, the tri-county area is reporting 5,541 cases – an increase of 303 from Tuesday to Wednesday – among 2,711 men, 2,732 women, 36 non-residents and 62 people listed as unknown. There have been 63 deaths and 432 people have been hospitalized.
Sumter County is now reporting 721 cases – an increase of 40 cases in a 24-hour period – among 405 men, 301 women, seven non-residents and eight people listed as unknown. There have been 18 deaths and 86 people have been treated in area hospitals.
Bushnell is reporting 163 cases, with 123 of those at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 103 inmates and 20 staff members. Others have been identified in Lake Panasoffkee (33), Webster (28), Center Hill (27), Coleman (21) and Sumterville (12). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting 144 cases among 107 inmates and 37 staff members.
Lake County continues to lead the local area with 2,882 cases – an increase of 99 in 24 hours. Those are comprised of 1,365 men, 1,457 women, 23 non-residents and 37 people listed as unknown. There have been 28 deaths and 154 people hospitalized.
Clermont continues to pace Lake County with 732 cases. Others have been reported in Tavares (421, 172 of which are at the Lake County Jail among 138 inmates, 31 staff members and three contracted nurses), Eustis (255), Groveland (196), Mount Dora (196), Mascotte (109), Minneola (79), Sorrento (71), Montverde (53), Fruitland Park (46), Umatilla (44), Grand Island (26), Howey-in-the-Hills (19), Astor (17), Yalaha (13), Astatula (13), Okahumpka (11), Paisley (11), Altoona (7), Ferndale (3) and Mount Plymouth (2).
Marion County is reporting 1,938 cases – an increase of 164 in 24 hours – among 941 men, 974 women, six non-residents and 17 people listed as unknown. There have been 17 deaths and 192 people have been hospitalized.
Ocala continues to pace Marion County with 1,157 cases – an increase of 211 overnight. Others have been identified in Dunnellon (84), Citra (30), Silver Springs (24), Ocklawaha (23), Reddick (17), Weirsdale (13), Anthony (12), Candler (3), Fort McCoy (4), East Lake (3) and Orange Lake (1).
All told, Florida is reporting 301,810 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 10,181 from Tuesday to Wednesday. Of those, 297,876 are residents. There have been 4,626 deaths and 19,334 people have been hospitalized across the Sunshine State. Those numbers show 112 more deaths since Tuesday and an additional 453 people requiring hospital care.
