The Villages surpassed 700 cumulative cases of COVID-19 on Friday – just five days after all three town squares reopened with live entertainment – as six more local residents succumbed to the deadly virus.
Florida’s Friendliest Hometown reported six more positive results Friday for a total of 704 COVID-19 cases. The vast majority of those – 661 – have been reported in Sumter County, with another 38 in the Lake County portion of the sprawling retirement mecca and five in the Marion County portion of the community.
Four of the latest fatalities were Marion County residents, while one lived in Lake County and other in Sumter County. They were described Friday by the Florida Department of Health as:
- 77-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive July 28;
- 83-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive July 29;
- 63-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Aug. 13;
- 54-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Sept. 21;
- 89-year-old Lake County man who tested positive Sept. 21; and
- 66-year-old Sumter County man who tested positive Oct. 2.
Fifteen additional COVID-19 cases were reported Friday in communities just outside the confines of Florida’s Friendliest Hometown. Those include:
- Leesburg up four for a total of 1,303;
- Summerfield up four for a total of 401;
- Wildwood up three for a total of 434;
- Lady Lake up three for a total of 330; and
- Fruitland Park up one for a total of 174.
Sumter County is now reporting 2,612 cases – an increase of 19 from Thursday to Friday – among 1,468 men, 1,122 women, 10 non-residents and 12 people listed as unknown. A total of 204 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 705 in correctional facilities. There have been 76 deaths and 261 people treated in area hospitals.
The Villages continues to pace Sumter County with 661 cases. Besides those mentioned above in Wildwood, others have been identified in Coleman (625), Bushnell (316, 140 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 103 inmates and 37 staff members), Oxford (137), Webster (94), Lake Panasoffkee (82), Center Hill (52), Sumterville (45) 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: 20,576 – increase of 90
- Men: 9,195
- Women: 11,166
- Non-residents: 80
- People listed as unknown: 135
- Deaths: 595
- Hospitalizations: 1,919
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 7,862 – increase of 44
- Men: 3,626
- Women: 4,077
- Non-residents: 51
- People listed as unknown: 108
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 640
- Cases in correctional facilities: 267
- Deaths: 202
- Hospitalizations: 656
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (1,961), Leesburg (1,303), Tavares (750), Eustis (623) and Mount Dora (607). The Villages also is reporting 38 cases.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 10,102 – increase of 27
- Men: 4,101
- Women: 5,967
- Non-residents: 19
- People listed as unknown: 15
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 1,042
- Cases in correctional facilities: 2,229
- Deaths: 317
- Hospitalizations: 1,002
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (7,778), Summerfield (401), Belleview (364), Dunnellon (347) 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 728,921 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 2,908 from Thursday to Friday. Of those, 720,001 are residents. A total of 48,187 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 23,386 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 15,372 deaths and 45,675 people have been hospitalized.
