Just days after all three town squares in The Villages fully reopened with no barricades and crowd limits, Florida’s Friendliest Hometown saw a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Thirty-five new cases were reported Wednesday, bringing the cumulative total in The Villages to 4,449. That’s a significant increase considering that this past Sunday just one new case was identified.

All told, Florida is reporting 2,021,656 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 5,143 from Tuesday to Wednesday. Of those, 1,984,274 are residents. A total of 82,653 COVID-19 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 31,456 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 33,480 deaths and 84,006 people have been hospitalized.

In addition to the new cases reported in The Villages, 31 were identified Wednesday in towns and cities around the community for a cumulative total 15,422. Those include:

  • The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 35 for a total of 4,449;
  • Leesburg up 11 for a total of 3,993;
  • Oxford up 7 for a total of 495;
  • Summerfield up 4 for a total of 1,794;
  • Belleview up 4 for a total of 1,249;
  • Fruitland Park up 2 for a total of 730;
  • Wildwood up 1 for a total of 995;
  • Lady Lake up 1 for a total of 1,582; and
  • Lady Lake portion of Sumter County up 1 for a total of 135.

Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:

TRI-COUNTY AREA

  • Cases: 63,575 – increase of 244
  • Deaths: 1,745
  • Hospitalizations: 3,862

SUMTER COUNTY

  • Cases: 8,644 – increase of 82
  • Deaths: 243
  • Hospitalizations: 544
  • Vaccinations: 58,746 (38,211 both doses)
  • Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (4,092), Wildwood (995), Bushnell (912), Coleman (839) and Oxford (495).

LAKE COUNTY

  • Cases: 26,199 – increase of 107
  • Deaths: 592
  • Hospitalizations: 1,392
  • Vaccinations: 107,234 (61,240 both doses)
  • Cities with most cases: Clermont (6,878), Leesburg (3,993), Eustis (2,303), Mount Dora (1,962) and Tavares (1,873). The Villages also is reporting 176 cases.

MARION COUNTY

  • Cases: 28,732 – increase of 55
  • Deaths: 910
  • Hospitalizations: 1,926
  • Vaccinations: 87,109 (49,802 both doses)
  • Cities with most cases: Ocala (21,057), Summerfield (1,794), Dunnellon (1,310), Belleview (1,249) and Silver Springs (614). The Villages also is reporting 181 cases.