Three more local residents have succumbed to COVID-19 as the eligible age for Coronavirus vaccines drops to 50 across Florida on Monday.
One of the latest fatalities lived in Sumter County, where the vast majority of Villages homes are located. One lived in Marion County and the other one was a resident of Lake County. They are among the 1,742 deaths in the tri-county area, the 33,369 in Florida and the 542,246 across the country, according to statistics provided by the Florida Department of Health and Johns Hopkins University.
The eligible age for COVID-19 vaccines officially drops to 50 on Monday, thanks to an executive order signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last week. He said he made the decision after statistics showed that nearly two-thirds of Florida’s seniors had been vaccinated against the deadly virus.
DeSantis also indicated last week that vaccinations could be opened up to all Floridians by May 1 – a directive to states, tribes and territories from President Joe Biden in his first primetime address earlier this month.
“Maybe much sooner than that,” the governor said. “Stay tuned.”
All told, Florida is reporting 2,008,349 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 3,987 from Saturday to Sunday. Of those, 1,971,271 are residents. A total of 82,499 COVID-19 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 31,398 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 83,446 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, Lake County is reporting 25,978 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 35 in a 24-hour period. There have been 594 deaths and 1,375 people have been hospitalized.
Leesburg is now reporting 3,974 cases – an overnight increase of two. Others have been reported in Clermont (6,824), Eustis (2,284), Mount Dora (1,942), Tavares (1,862), Groveland (1,754), Lady Lake (1,577), Minneola (755), Sorrento (747), Fruitland Park (727), Umatilla (670), Mascotte (505), Grand Island (332), Montverde (318), Astatula (202), Howey-in-the-Hills (194), Altoona (185), The Villages (175), Paisley (126), Astor (101), Yalaha (76), Okahumpka (52), Mount Plymouth (12) and Ferndale (9).
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 63,111 – increase of 70
- Deaths: 1,742
- Hospitalizations: 3,812
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 8,501 – increase of 12
- Deaths: 243
- Hospitalizations: 536
- Vaccinations: 53,022 (34,007 both doses)
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (4,035), Wildwood (986), Bushnell (903), Coleman (839) and Oxford (486).
MARION COUNTY
- Cases: 28,632 – increase of 23
- Deaths: 905
- Hospitalizations: 1,901
- Vaccinations: 82,414 (48,281 both doses)
- Cities with most cases: Ocala (20,991), Summerfield (1,787), Dunnellon (1,305), Belleview (1,242) and Silver Springs (609).
