The rate of new COVID-19 cases slowed in Florida on Wednesday but deaths continued to rise across the tri-county area.
Twelve more local residents lost their battle with the deadly virus – six in Lake County, five in Marion County and one in Sumter County. They are among the 1,237 fatalities in the tri-county area, the 27,472 across the state and the 449,663 across the country, health department statistics show.
All told, Florida is reporting 1,744,619 cases – an increase of 6,979 from Tuesday to Wednesday. Of those, 1,712,326 are residents. A total of 77,186 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 29,498 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 73,266 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, 99 new COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday in and around The Villages for a total of 13,084. Those include:
- The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 36 for a total of 3,693;
- Leesburg up 20 for a total of 3,495;
- Lady Lake up 12 for a total of 1,306;
- Summerfield up 8 for a total of 1,560;
- Wildwood up 6 for a total of 862;
- Oxford up 6 for a total of 417;
- Fruitland Park up 5 for a total of 595;
- Belleview up 5 for a total of 1,053; and
- Lady Lake portion of Sumter County up 1 for a total of 103.
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 54,269 – increase of 306
- Deaths: 1,237
- Hospitalizations: 3,170
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 7,245 – increase of 65
- Deaths: 187
- Hospitalizations: 439
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (3,366), Wildwood (862), Coleman (817), Bushnell (793) and Oxford (417).
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 22,180 – increase of 122
- Deaths: 443
- Hospitalizations: 1,171
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (5,809), Leesburg (3,495), Eustis (1,989), Mount Dora (1,717) and Tavares (1,631). The Villages also is reporting 152 cases.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 24,844 – increase of 119
- Deaths: 607
- Hospitalizations: 1,560
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (18,417), Summerfield (1,560), Dunnellon (1,089), Belleview (1,053) and Silver Springs (460). The Villages also is reporting 175 cases.
