Florida ended the year Thursday with the biggest spike in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic first hit the Sunshine State in the spring.
All told, the state is reporting 1,323,315 cases – an increase of 17,192 from Wednesday to Thursday. Of those, 1,300,528 are residents. A total of 64,835 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 27,337 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 62,868 people have been hospitalized.
The latest positivity rate wasn’t reported Thursday by the Florida Department of Health. But Wednesday’s positivity rate was reported at 11.57 percent, with Tuesday at 8.74 percent and Monday at 22.9 percent. The Department of Health considers anything above 5 percent to be in the danger zone.
On Thursday, the tri-county area also reported another fatality connected to the virus – a Marion County resident. That victim is now among the 878 who have died in the local area, the 21,990 across state and the 344,525 across the country.
Locally, Lake County is reporting 15,559 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 358 in a 24-hour period. There have been 295 deaths and 995 people have been hospitalized.
Leesburg is reporting 2,483 cases – an increase of 63 overnight. Others have been identified in Clermont (4,140), Eustis (1,259), Mount Dora (1,202), Tavares (1,169), Groveland (1,058), Lady Lake (859), Minneola (425), Sorrento (422), Fruitland Park (411), Mascotte (355), Umatilla (335), Montverde (210), Grand Island (180), Howey-in-the-Hills (124), Astatula (114), The Villages (104), Altoona (92), Paisley (64), Astor (58), Yalaha (42), Okahumpka (28), Ferndale (8) and Mount Plymouth (7).
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 38,443 – increase of 840
- Deaths: 878
- Hospitalizations: 2,714
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 5,085 – increase of 134
- Deaths: 120
- Hospitalizations: 378
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (2,128), Coleman (732), Wildwood (682), Bushnell (556) and Oxford (286).
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 17,799 – increase of 348
- Deaths: 463
- Hospitalizations: 1,341
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (13,340), Summerfield (1,026), Dunnellon (770), Belleview (708) and Silver Springs (304).
