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The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

3 more local residents die of COVID-19 as virus slams long-term care facilities

Three more tri-county residents have lost their battle against COVID-19 as the deadly virus continues to sweep through area long-term care facilities.

Two of the latest victims are from Lake County and the other one lived in Marion County. They were identified Friday as:

  • 58-year-old Lake County man who tested positive June 19, hadn’t traveled recently but had been in contact with another patient;
  • 90-year-old Lake County woman who tested positive July 1, and
  • 81-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive Tuesday, hadn’t traveled recently but had been in contact with another person suffering from the virus.

New COVID-19 cases also have been identified in three long-term care facilities in Lady Lake, two of which are located on Griffin Avenue and the other one across U.S. Hwy. 27/441 from UF Health The Villages Hospital – all just a stone’s throw from the Historic Side of The Villages.

The Springs of Lady Lake Assisted Living reported its first COVID-19 case Friday. It involves an employee at the care center on Griffin Avenue – just a stone’s throw from the Historic Side of The Villages.

The Springs of Lady Lake Assisted Living reported its first case, which involves an employee at the care center. Lady Lake Specialty Care reported three new cases among residents, bringing the total at the nursing home to 34 cases among 21 staff members and 13 residents, three of whom transferred out of the facility. And Harbor Chase of Villages Crossings, located at 13517 N.E. 86th Dr., reported that a second employee tested positive for the potentially deadly virus.

The Villages is now reporting 290 COVID-19 cases, with the overwhelming majority – 272 – being in the Sumter County portion of the mega-retirement community. Sixteen cases also have been identified in the Lake County section and two have been reported in the Marion County area of the sprawling retirement mecca.

Forty-four new cases also have been reported in communities just outside the confines of The Villages. Those include:

  • Leesburg up 22 for a total of 426;
  • Summerfield up nine for a total of 144;
  • Belleview up seven for a total of 126;
  • Wildwood up five for a total of 108, and
  • Fruitland Park up one for a total of 47.

Overall, the tri-county area is reporting 6,065 cases – an increase of 242 from Thursday to Friday – among 2,923 men, 3,028 women, 37 non-residents and 77 people listed as unknown. There have been 74 deaths and 474 people have been hospitalized.

Lake County continues to pace the local area with 3,139 cases – an increase of 130 in a 24-hour period – among 1,471 men, 1,594 women, 23 non-residents and 51 people listed as unknown. There have been 36 deaths and 165 people have been seen at area hospitals.

Clermont continues to lead Lake County with 805 cases – an increase of 25 in 24 hours. Others have been reported in Tavares (450, 161 of which are at the Lake County Jail among 131 inmates, 28 staff members and two contracted nurses), Eustis (275), Groveland (215), Mount Dora (206), Mascotte (111), Lady Lake (97), Minneola (89), Sorrento (85), Montverde (66), Umatilla (51), Grand Island (28), Howey-in-the-Hills (23), Astor (18), The Villages (16), Astatula (16), Yalaha (13), Okahumpka (11), Paisley (11), Altoona (9), Ferndale (3) and Mount Plymouth (3).

Sumter County is reporting 770 cases – an increase of 13 in 24 hours. Those are divided among 430 men, 326 women, seven non-residents and seven people listed as unknown. There have been 19 deaths and 99 people have been hospitalized.

Bushnell is now reporting 175 COVID-19 cases – 123 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 103 inmates and 20 staff members. Others have been identified in Oxford (45), Lake Panasoffkee (37), Webster (29), Center Hill (28), Coleman (22), Lady Lake portion of the county (15) and Sumterville (13). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting 189 cases among 141 inmates and 48 staff members.

Marion County added 99 cases overnight for a total of 2,156. Those include 1,022 men, 1,108 women, seven residents and 19 people listed as unknown. There have been 19 deaths and 210 people have required some form of hospital care.

The vast majority of Marion County cases – 1,529 – have been reported in Ocala, which saw an increase of 71 in a 24-hour period. Others have been identified in Dunnellon (89), Citra (32), Silver Springs (25), Ocklawaha (25), Reddick (19), Weirsdale (16), Anthony (13), Fort McCoy (5), Candler (3), East Lake (3), Orange Lake (2) and Lowell (1).

All told, Florida is reporting 327,241 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 11,466 from Thursday to Friday. Of those, 323,002 are residents. There have been 4,912 deaths and 20,191 people have been hospitalized across the Sunshine State. Those numbers show 130 more deaths since Thursday and an additional 366 people requiring hospital care.

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