Eight more local residents have died of COVID-19 as Florida saw its biggest spike in cases of the deadly virus in almost three weeks and the small town of Coleman also reported a huge increase.
Two of the latest fatalities were from Sumter County, three were from Lake County and the other three were residents of Marion County. They were identified Thursday by the Florida Department of Health as:
- 82-year-old Sumter County man who tested positive July 15;
- 90-year-old Sumter County man who tested positive Sept. 16;
- 89-year-old Lake County woman who tested positive July 10;
- 79-year-old Lake County man who tested positive July 13;
- 68-year-old Lake County woman who tested positive July 28;
- 73-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive July 24;
- 96-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Aug. 31; and
- 77-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Sept. 11.
Florida reported 3,306 new cases of the virus on Thursday – the largest increase since Sept. 19 when 3,573 new positive results were reported. It’s unclear how many of the 85 new cases of the 622 reported in Coleman were in the federal prison, which sometimes lags behind in reporting numbers. But as of Thursday, the prison was reporting 200 cases among 96 inmates and 104 staff members – an increase of 11 inmates in a 24-hour period.
Thirty-one new COVID-19 cases were reported Thursday in and around The Villages. Those include:
- The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up six for a total of 698;
- Fruitland Park up six for a total of 173;
- Leesburg up six for a total of 1,299;
- Lady Lake up four for a total of 327;
- Summerfield up five for a total of 397;
- Wildwood up two for a total of 431;
- Oxford up one for a total of 137; and
- Belleview up one for a total of 364.
Sumter County is now reporting 2,593 cases – an increase of 98 from Wednesday to Thursday – among 1,461 men, 1,110 women, 10 non-residents and 12 people listed as unknown. A total of 204 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 628 in correctional facilities. There have been 75 deaths and 260 people treated in area hospitals.
The Villages continues to pace Sumter County with 655 cases. Other than those mentioned above in Coleman, Wildwood and Oxford, cases have been identified in Bushnell (313, 140 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 103 inmates and 37 staff members), Webster (95), Lake Panasoffkee (82), Center Hill (52), Sumterville (44) and the Lady Lake portion of the county (40). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting 200 cases among 96 inmates and 104 staff members.
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 20,486 – increase of 197
- Men: 9,161
- Women: 11,108
- Non-residents: 80
- People listed as unknown: 137
- Deaths: 75
- Hospitalizations: 1,905
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 7,818 – increase of 48
- Men: 3,611
- Women: 4,046
- Non-residents: 51
- People listed as unknown: 110
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 639
- Cases in correctional facilities: 267
- Deaths: 202
- Hospitalizations: 649
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (1,947), Leesburg (1,299), Tavares (746), Eustis (620) and Mount Dora (606). The Villages is reporting 38 cases.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 10,075 – increase of 51
- Men: 4,089
- Women: 5,952
- Non-residents: 19
- People listed as unknown: 15
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 1,035
- Cases in correctional facilities: 2,229
- Deaths: 313
- Hospitalizations: 996
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (7,756), Summerfield (397), Belleview (364), Dunnellon (346) and Citra (192). The Villages is reporting five cases. A total of 1,421 cases also have been reported among inmates (1,318) and staff members (103) at Lowell Correctional Institution and Marion Correctional Institution.
All told, Florida is reporting 726,013 COVID-19 cases. Of those, 717,148 are residents. A total of 47,995 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 23,287 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 15,254 deaths and 45,483 people have been hospitalized.
