Eighteen more local residents have lost their battle with COVID-19 as new cases of the deadly virus continued to skyrocket across the local area and the Sunshine State – including close to a hundred in The Villages alone.
Eleven of the latest fatalities were in Marion County, while seven lived in Lake County and one was a resident of Sumter County. They are among the 897 local deaths, the 22,210 across the state and the 349,709 across the United States.
All told, Florida is reporting 1,354,883 cases – an increase of 31,568 from Thursday to Saturday – an average of 15,784 cases per day. Of those, 1,331,059 are residents. A total of 65,244 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 27,390 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 63,148 people also have been hospitalized.
Locally, a total of 344 new COVID-19 cases were reported Saturday in and around The Villages for a total of 9,171. Those include:
- The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 97 for a total of 2,387;
- Leesburg up 88 for a total of 2,571;
- Summerfield up 49 for a total of 1,075;
- Lady Lake up 37 for a total of 896;
- Belleview up 26 for a total of 734;
- Oxford up 18 for a total of 304;
- Wildwood up 16 for a total of 698;
- Fruitland Park up 12 for a total of 423; and
- Lady Lake portion of Sumter County up 1 for a total of 83.
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 39,863 – increase of 1,420
- Deaths: 897
- Hospitalizations: 2,723
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 5,299 – increase of 214
- Deaths: 121
- Hospitalizations: 380
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (2,218), Coleman (775), Wildwood (698), Bushnell (576) and Oxford (304).
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 16,106 – increase of 547
- Deaths: 302
- Hospitalizations: 998
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (4,284), Leesburg (2,571), Eustis (1,328), Mount Dora (1,245) and Tavares (1,211). The Villages also is reporting 111 cases.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 18,458 – increase of 659
- Deaths: 474
- Hospitalizations: 1,345
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (13,764), Summerfield (1,075), Dunnellon (821), Belleview (734) and Citra (322). The Villages also is reporting 58 cases.
