Two staff members of state prisons in Ocala have been identified with COVID-19 but so far, all inmate tests have proven to be negative.
The staff members work at Marion Correctional Institution and Lowell Correctional Institution. Both facilities are operated by The CEO Group Inc.
Ten inmates are being held in security quarantine at Lowell Correctional Institution, where 11 negative COVID-19 tests have been reported. Three inmates also have been placed in security quarantine at Marion Correctional Institution, where five negative results were identified.
On Sunday, Marion County was reporting 208 COVID-19 cases, down two from numbers released Saturday by the Florida Department of Health. There have been five deaths and 30 people have required hospital care.
The overwhelming majority of Marion County cases – 146 – have been reported in Ocala, with another 25 in Summerfield. Other Marion County cases have been identified in Dunnellon (9), Citra (7), Belleview (6), Ocklawaha (5), Anthony (3), Reddick (2), Silver Springs (1) and The Villages (1).
Sumter County now has 244 cases of the Coronavirus divided among 175 men, 66 women and three non-residents. There have been 14 deaths and 42 people have required hospitalization.
The majority of Sumter County cases – 118 – have been reported in Bushnell where the Sumter Correctional Institution is located. As of Sunday, 113 of those cases were at the state prison, which is operated by The CEO Group. Of those, 99 are among inmates and 14 were identified in staff members. Four inmates are in medical isolation and another 910 are in medical quarantine, a report shows.
Seventy cases also have been identified in the Sumter County portion of The Villages where the majority of homes in the mega-retirement community are located. Other cases are in Lake Panasoffkee (22), Wildwood (9), Webster (7), Lady Lake portion of the county (7), Coleman (3), Sumterville (3) and Oxford (2). All three of the cases in Coleman are at the federal prison – one inmate and two staff members.
Lake County now has 242 COVID-19 cases among 113 men, 117 women and 12 non-residents. There have been 14 deaths and 61 patients have been hospitalized for various levels of care.
The majority of Lake County cases – 82 – are in Clermont. Besides seven cases in The Villages portion of the county, 10 in Lady Lake, two in Fruitland Park and 39 in Leesburg, other Lake County patients have been identified in Eustis (18), Tavares (17), Groveland (15), Mount Dora (14), Mascotte (12), Minneola (6), Sorrento (2), Okahumpka (1), Umatilla (1), Howey-in-the-Hills (1), Montverde (1), Grand Island (1) and Yalaha (1).
So far, there have been 17,643 people tested in the tri-county area, with 16,941 of those tests coming back negative, according to the Florida Department of Health. There have been 16,941 negative results and eight that were listed as inconclusive. Another 251 people are awaiting testing.
The breakdown by county is as follows:
- Marion (6,306 tested, 6,097 negative, one inconclusive and 217 awaiting testing);
- Sumter (2,308 tested, 2,063 negative, one inconclusive and 24 awaiting testing); and
- Lake (9,029 tested, 8,781 negative, six inconclusive and 10 awaiting testing).
All told, Florida is reporting 40,596 COVID-cases, with 39,514 of those being among residents. There have been 1,721 deaths and 7,171 people have required hospital care across the Sunshine State.