Seven more tri-county residents have succumbed to COVID-19 as the virus continues to wreak havoc among students at The Villages Charter School.

Five of the latest local fatalities were in Lake County and the other one was a resident of Marion County. They are among the 1,782 victims of the deadly virus in the tri-county area, the 34,072 in Florida and the 551,747 across the country.

Three more students at The Villages Charter School have tested positive for COVID-19. Two of the cases were  with the COVID-19 virus. Two cases were identified Tuesday and the third one was reported Wednesday. That brings the total number of cases at the school since classes started in August 2020 to 90, which represents 42 percent of the 214 cases reported among students in all Sumter County public schools.

All told, Florida is reporting 2,057,735 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 5,294 from Tuesday to Wednesday. Of those, 2,019,500 are residents. A total of 82,991 COVID-19 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 31,597 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 34,072 deaths and 85,197 people have been hospitalized.

Locally, 27 new COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday in and around The Villages. Those include:

  • The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 2 for a total of 4,492;
  • Leesburg up 10 for a total of 4,057;
  • Fruitland Park up 7 for a total of 750;
  • Summerfield up 3 for a total of 1,813;
  • Belleview up 3 for a total of 1,267; and
  • Lady Lake up 2 for a total of 1,603.

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

TRI-COUNTY AREA

  • Cases: 64,513 – increase of 133
  • Deaths: 1,782
  • Hospitalizations: 3,945

SUMTER COUNTY

  • Cases: 8,790 – increase of 10
  • Deaths: 257
  • Hospitalizations: 555
  • Vaccinations: 74,258 (50,872 both doses)
  • Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (4,133), Wildwood (1,012), Bushnell (945), Coleman (841) and Oxford (503).

LAKE COUNTY

  • Cases: 26,679 – increase of 75
  • Deaths: 606
  • Hospitalizations: 1,418
  • Vaccinations: 119,118 (69,903 both doses)
  • Cities with most cases: Clermont (7,007), Leesburg (4,057), Eustis (2,357), Mount Dora (1,989) and Tavares (1,892). The Villages also is reporting 177 cases.

MARION COUNTY

  • Cases: 29,044 – increase of 48
  • Deaths: 919
  • Hospitalizations: 1,972
  • Vaccinations: 96,796 (58,892 both doses)
  • Cities with most cases: Ocala (21,235), Summerfield (1,813), Dunnellon (1,328), Belleview (1,267) and Silver Springs (622). The Villages also is reporting 182 cases.