Eight more local residents have died of COVID-19 as Florida saw its biggest spike in cases of the deadly virus in almost three weeks and the small town of Coleman also reported a huge increase.
Three of the latest fatalities were from Lake County, two were from Sumter County and the other three were Marion County residents. They were identified Thursday by the Florida Department of Health as:
- 89-year-old Lake County woman who tested positive July 10;
- 79-year-old Lake County man who tested positive July 13;
- 68-year-old Lake County woman who tested positive July 28;
- 82-year-old Sumter County man who tested positive July 15;
- 90-year-old Sumter County man who tested positive Sept. 16;
- 73-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive July 24;
- 96-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Aug. 31; and
- 77-year-old Marion County man who tested positive Sept. 11.
Florida reported 3,306 new cases of the virus on Thursday – the largest increase since Sept. 19 when 3,573 new positive results were reported. It’s unclear how many of the 85 new cases of the 622 reported in Coleman were in the federal prison, which sometimes lags behind in reporting numbers. But as of Thursday, the prison was reporting 200 cases among 96 inmates and 104 staff members – an increase of 11 inmates in a 24-hour period.
Lake County is now reporting 7,818 cases – an increase of 48 from Wednesday to Thursday – among 3,611 men, 4,046 women, 51 non-residents and 110 people listed as unknown. A total of 639 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 267 in correctional facilities. There have been 202 deaths and 649 people treated in area hospitals.
Leesburg is reporting 1,299 cases – an increase of six in a 24-hour period. Others have been identified in Clermont (1,947), Tavares (746), Eustis (620), Mount Dora (606), Groveland (537), Lady Lake (327), Mascotte (229), Minneola (212), Sorrento (178), Fruitland Park (173), Umatilla (158), Montverde (118), Grand Island (85), Astatula (62), Howey-in-the-Hills (52), The Villages (38), Altoona (36), Astor (33), Yalaha (32), Paisley (27), Okahumpka (17), Ferndale (5) and Mount Plymouth (3).
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 20,486 – increase of 197
- Men: 9,161
- Women: 11,108
- Non-residents: 80
- People listed as unknown: 137
- Deaths: 75
- Hospitalizations: 1,905
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 2,593 – increase of 98
- Men: 1,461
- Women: 1,110
- Non-residents: 10
- People listed as unknown: 12
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 204
- Cases in correctional facilities: 628
- Deaths: 75
- Hospitalizations: 260
- Area/cities with most cases: The Villages (655), Coleman (622), Wildwood (431), Bushnell (313, 140 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 103 inmates and 37 staff members) and Oxford (137).
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 10,075 – increase of 51
- Men: 4,089
- Women: 5,952
- Non-residents: 19
- People listed as unknown: 15
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 1,035
- Cases in correctional facilities: 2,229
- Deaths: 313
- Hospitalizations: 996
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (7,756), Summerfield (397), Belleview (364), Dunnellon (346) and Citra (192). A total of 1,421 cases also have been reported among inmates (1,318) and staff members (103) at Lowell Correctional Institution and Marion Correctional Institution.
All told, Florida is reporting 726,013 COVID-19 cases. Of those, 717,148 are residents. A total of 47,995 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 23,287 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 15,254 deaths and 45,483 people have been hospitalized.
