Three more local residents have succumbed to COVID-19 as Florida reported its biggest increase in the number of new cases in five months.
Two of the latest fatalities lived in Marion County and the other was a resident of Lake County. They are among the 815 who have died of the virus in the tri-county area, the 20,490 across Florida and the 308,908 deaths across the country.
All told, Florida is reporting 1,168,483 cases – an increase of 13,148 from Wednesday to Thursday. Of those, 1,149,126 are residents. A total of 60,630 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 26,465 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 20,493 deaths and 59,291 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, 156 new COVID-19 cases were reported Friday in and around The Villages for a total of 7,120. Those include:
- The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 44 for a total of 1,739;
- Leesburg up 44 for a total of 2,064;
- Summerfield up 22 for a total of 803;
- Lady Lake up 18 for a total of 682;
- Fruitland Park up 11 for a total of 337;
- Belleview up 7 for a total of 607;
- Oxford up 5 for a total of 232;
- Wildwood up 4 for a total of 586; and
- Lady Lake portion of Sumter County up 1 for a total of 70.
Another student at The Villages Charter School also has tested positive for COVID-19. That brings the total number of cases at the facility  that largely educates children of the Developer’s family, Villages employees and those who work in various businesses in the mega-retirement community to 37, which represents 48 percent of the 77 cases that have been reported in Sumter County schools.
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 32,620 – increase of 521
- Deaths: 815
- Hospitalizations: 2,528
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 4,221 – increase of 67
- Deaths: 109
- Hospitalizations: 362
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (1,602), Coleman (728), Wildwood (586), Bushnell (483) and Oxford (232).
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 12,966 – increase of 239
- Deaths: 276
- Hospitalizations: 921
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (3,441), Leesburg (2,064), Eustis (1,047), Tavares (1,026) and Mount Dora (1,008). The Villages also is reporting 79 cases.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 15,433 – increase of 215
- Deaths: 430
- Hospitalizations: 1,245
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (11,744), Summerfield (803), Dunnellon (646), Belleview (607) and Citra (269). The Villages also is reporting 58 cases.
