70 F
The Villages
Sunday, May 5, 2024

Florida zips past 1.5 million COVID-19 cases as 11 more local residents die

Florida topped 1.5 million cumulative cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday as 11 more local residents lost their battle with the deadly virus and additional cases were identified at The Villages Charter School.

All told, the Sunshine State was reporting 1,503,482 cases – an increase of 14,896 from Monday to Tuesday. Of those, 1,476,484 are residents. A total of 69,162 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 27,920 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 66,204 people have been hospitalized.

Eight of the latest fatalities were Marion County residents, while two lived in Sumter County and one was from Lake County. They are among the 976 tri-county area deaths, the 23,585 in Florida and the 378,457 across the country.

Two more Villages Charter School students tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total number of cases reported at the school since August to 46. That represents 47 percent of the 98 cases reported in all Sumter County public schools.

Also, 129 new COVID-19 cases were reported Tuesday in and around The Villages for a total of 10,752. Those include:

  • The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 39 for a total of 2,892;
  • Leesburg up 22 for a total of 2,952;
  • Summerfield up 18 for a total of 1,283;
  • Belleview up 17 for a total of 862;
  • Wildwood up 10 for a total of 765;
  • Lady Lake up 9 for a total of 1,052;
  • Fruitland Park up 6 for a total of 490;
  • Oxford up 5 for a total of 363; and
  • Lady Lake portion of Sumter County up 3 for a total of 93.

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

TRI-COUNTY AREA

  • Cases: 45,419 – increase of 554
  • Deaths: 976
  • Hospitalizations: 2,878

SUMTER COUNTY

  • Cases: 6,108 – increase of 79
  • Deaths: 124
  • Hospitalizations: 405
  • Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (2,712), Coleman (783), Wildwood (765), Bushnell (658) and Oxford (363).

LAKE COUNTY

  • Cases: 18,333 – increase of 191
  • Deaths: 336
  • Hospitalizations: 1,053
  • Cities with most cases: Clermont (4,809), Leesburg (2,952), Eustis (1,586), Mount Dora (1,391) and Tavares (1,355). The Villages also is reporting 119 cases.

MARION COUNTY

  • Cases: 20,978 – increase of 284
  • Deaths: 516
  • Hospitalizations: 1,420
  • Cities with most cases: Ocala (15,498), Summerfield (1,283), Dunnellon (942), Belleview (862) and Citra (374). The Villages also is reporting 61 cases.

Where was management when Heron Executive Golf Course was ‘fixed’?

A Villager, in a Letter to the Editor, played the newly repaired Heron Executive Golf Course and was left shaking his head. He wonders who was in charge.

The Villages needs to take control of multi-modal paths

A Village of Pine Hills resident, who bicycles with his wife on the multi-modal paths, describes some recent scary encounters. Read his Letter to the Editor.

We are headed to dictatorship if Trump is elected again

In a Letter to the Editor, a Village of Belle Aire resident begs the “blind cult followers” of Trump to wake up before it’s too late.

Villagers don’t have gates but the Morse family does

A Village of Country Club Hills resident, in a Letter to the Editor, points out The Villages is not a true gated community, but the Morse family is living behind gates at their compound.

Villager says his Black Lab has been attacked by unleashed dogs

In a Letter to the Editor, a Village of Dabney resident reports that his Black Lab has been attacked by small unleashed dogs.