With Floridians bracing for the impending spread of COVID-19 from the New Year’s weekend, the Sunshine State reported another record day in the number of new cases of the deadly virus.
All told, Florida reported 1,429,722 cumulative cases – an increase of 19,816 from Wednesday to Thursday. That marks the largest single-day increase in new cases since the pandemic first hit Florida in the spring.
Of those total number of cases, 1,404,374 are residents. A total of 64,706 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 27,659 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 64,704 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, a Marion County resident became the latest fatality connected to the fast-spreading virus. That victim joins the 949 local residents who have died from the virus, the 22,817 across the state and the 363,519 across the country.
On Thursday, a total of 191 new COVID-19 cases were reported in and around The Villages for a total of 9,998. Those include:
- The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 46 for a total of 2,639;
- Leesburg up 54 for a total of 2,765;
- Summerfield up 27 for a total of 1,192;
- Lady Lake up 19 for a total of 978;
- Fruitland Park up 18 for a total of 465;
- Belleview up 13 for a total of 798;
- Oxford up 8 for a total of 338;
- Wildwood up 5 for a total of 736; and
- Lady Lake portion of Sumter County up 1 for a total of 87.
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 42,533 – increase of 803
- Deaths: 949
- Hospitalizations: 2,805
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 5,720 – increase of 86
- Deaths: 122
- Hospitalizations: 392
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (2,463), Coleman (775), Wildwood (736), Bushnell (621) and Oxford (338).
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 17,228 – increase of 331
- Deaths: 331
- Hospitalizations: 1,020
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (4,539), Leesburg (2,765), Eustis (1,461), Mount Dora (1,316) and Tavares (1,280). The Villages also is reporting 117 cases.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 19,585 – increase of 386
- Deaths: 496
- Hospitalizations: 1,393
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (14,531), Summerfield (1,192), Dunnellon (869), Belleview (798), Citra (340) and Silver Springs (340). The Villages also is reporting 59 cases.
