Half of the new COVID-19 cases being reported in the tri-county area Thursday are in Marion County.
Overall, the number of cases in Marion, Lake and Sumter counties increased by 10 to 751 from Wednesday to Thursday among 407 men, 324 women and 20 non-residents. There have been 36 deaths and 145 people have required hospitalization.
Marion County now has 233 COVID-19 cases among 100 men, 128 women and five non-residents. There have been five deaths and 31 people have been hospitalized.
The overwhelming majority of Marion County cases – 165 – have been reported in Ocala, with another 26 in Summerfield. Others have been identified in Dunnellon (11), Citra (7), Belleview (8), Ocklawaha (4), Anthony (3), Reddick (2), Silver Springs (1) and The Villages (1).
It’s unclear if any of the Summerfield cases are in the retirement communities of Del Webb Spruce Creek, Stonecrest or Spruce Creek South, as the Florida Department of Health doesn’t release that specific information.
Lake County showed an increase of four cases to 264. Those are comprised of 127 men, 125 women and 12 non-residents. There have been 14 deaths and 31 hospitalizations connected to the virus.
The majority of the Lake County cases – 87 – are in Clermont. Others have been identified in Leesburg (43), Eustis (21), Tavares (19), Groveland (17), Mount Dora (16), Mascotte (12), Lady Lake (10), The Villages (7), Minneola (6), Fruitland Park (4), Sorrento (3), Okahumpka (1), Umatilla (1), Howey-in-the-Hills (1), Montverde (1), Grand Island (1), Paisley (1) and Yalaha (1).
Sumter County increased by just one COVID-19 case in a 24-hour period. That brings the total number to 254 divided among 180 men, 71 women and three non-residents. There have been 17 deaths and 44 people have been hospitalized.
Of the Sumter County cases, 121 are in Bushnell, with all but three of those being at the Sumter Correctional Institution (16 staff members and 102 inmates). Other Sumter County areas reporting COVID-19 cases include The Villages (62), Lake Panasoffkee (22), Oxford (16), Wildwood (9), Webster (7), Lady Lake portion of the county (6), Sumterville (5) and Coleman (3). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting five cases among three staff members and two inmates.
All told, Florida is reporting 48,675 COVID-19 cases, an increase of 1,204 in a 24-hour period. Of those, 47,381 are Sunshine State residents. There have been 2,144 deaths and 8,946 people have required some form of hospital care at hospitals across the state.