84.1 F
The Villages
Sunday, May 5, 2024

6 more local COVID-19 deaths as Florida continues to battle deadly virus

Six more local residents have succumbed to COVID-19 as Florida reported 73 additional fatalities and more than 4,500 new cases of the virus on Thursday.

Four of the latest local deaths were in Marion County and the other two were in Lake County. They are among the 1,873 tri-county area fatalities, the 36,257 in Florida and the 579,977 across the country.

All told, Florida is reporting 2,258,433 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 4,504 from Wednesday to Thursday. Of those, 2,216,159 are residents. A total of 85,031 COVID-19 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 32,487 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 91,652 people have been hospitalized.

Locally, 25 new COVID-19 cases were reported Thursday in and around The Villages. Those include:

  • The Villages (Sumter, Lake and Marion counties) up 5 for a total of 4,632;
  • Leesburg up 11 for a total of 4,446;
  • Fruitland Park up 3 for a total of 842;
  • Summerfield up 3 for a total of 1,927;
  • Lady Lake up 2 for a total of 1,711; and
  • Wildwood up 1 for a total of 1,090.

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

TRI-COUNTY AREA

  • Cases: 70,103 – increase of 146
  • Deaths: 1,873
  • Hospitalizations: 4,284

SUMTER COUNTY

  • Cases: 9,331 – increase of 19
  • Deaths: 275
  • Hospitalizations: 579
  • Vaccinations: 83,817 (71,763 both doses)
  • Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (4,263), Wildwood (1,090), Bushnell (1,039), Coleman (852) and Oxford (541).

LAKE COUNTY

  • Cases: 29,661 – increase of 68
  • Deaths: 634
  • Hospitalizations: 1,533
  • Vaccinations: 168,206 (133,167 both doses)
  • Cities with most cases: Clermont (7,952), Leesburg (4,446), Eustis (2,598), Mount Dora (2,161) and Groveland (2,042). The Villages also is reporting 186 cases.

MARION COUNTY

  • Cases: 31,111 – increase of 59
  • Deaths: 964
  • Hospitalizations: 2,172
  • Vaccinations: 135,628 (105,048 both doses)
  • Cities with most cases: Ocala (22,747), Summerfield (1,927), Dunnellon (1,441), Belleview (1,370) and Silver Springs (686). The Villages also is reporting 183 cases.

Why is there such a negative view of little white crosses?

A Village of Alhambra resident is wondering why some Villagers have such a negative view of little white crosses. Read his Letter to the Editor.

When did my party become so involved in such an extreme position?

In a Letter to the Editor, a Village of DeLuna resident wonders when his political party become so involved in such an extreme position when it comes to abortion.

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.