Eight more local residents have succumbed to COVID-19 as new cases of the deadly virus continue to spike in and around Leesburg.
Three of the latest fatalities lived in Sumter County, three in Lake County and two in Marion County. The only ones identified by the Florida Department of Health on Friday were the Marion County residents – a 59-year-old man who tested positive Nov. 19 and an 86-year-old woman who tested positive Nov. 20.
Friday’s COVID-19 statistics reflect two days of numbers, as the health department failed to report any data on Thanksgiving Day. But they clearly show a trend of cases continuing to increase at a rapid rate across the tri-county area and the Sunshine State.
Lake County is now reporting 10,472 cases – an increase of 199 from Wednesday to Friday – among 4,813 men, 5,431 women, 92 non-residents and 136 people listed as unknown. A total of 741 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 283 in correctional facilities. There have been 253 deaths and 832 people treated in area hospitals.
Leesburg is reporting 1,757 cases – an increase of 20 in a 48-hour period. Others have been identified in Clermont (2,788), Tavares (930), Eustis (884), Mount Dora (817), Groveland (721), Lady Lake (483), Sorrento (283), Minneola (273), Mascotte (256), Fruitland Park (242), Umatilla (227), Montverde (155), Grand Island (124), Howey-in-the-Hills (82), Astatula (77), The Villages (60), Astor (51), Altoona (45), Paisley (43), Yalaha (36), Okahumpka (19), Ferndale (6) and Mount Plymouth (3).
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 26,747 – increase of 493
- Men: 12,042
- Women: 14,390
- Non-residents: 150
- People listed as unknown: 165
- Deaths: 727
- Hospitalizations: 2,311
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 3,412 – increase of 59
- Men: 1,913
- Women: 1,464
- Non-residents: 19
- People listed as unknown: 16
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 226
- Cases in correctional facilities: 801
- Deaths: 95
- Hospitalizations: 317
- Area/cities with most cases: The Villages (1,101), Coleman (716), Wildwood (527), Bushnell (430, 158 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 107 inmates and 51 staff members) and Oxford (175). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting 119 cases among 12 inmates and 107 staff members.
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 12,863 – increase of 235
- Men: 5,316
- Women: 7,495
- Non-residents: 39
- People listed as unknown: 13
- Cases in long-term care facilities: 1,202
- Cases in correctional facilities: 2,267
- Deaths: 379
- Hospitalizations: 1,162
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (10,011), Summerfield (572), Dunnellon (506), Belleview (496) and Citra (225). A total of 1,432 cases have been reported among inmates (1,318) and staff members (114) at Lowell Correctional Institution and Marion Correctional Institution.
All told, Florida is reporting 979,020 cases – an increase of 17,344 from Wednesday to Friday. Of those, 963,751 are residents. A total of 55,929 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 25,628 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 18,596 deaths and 54,467 people have been hospitalized.
