Five more local residents have died of COVID-19 as the virus continues to sweep through Ocala and other Marion County communities.
Four of the fatalities were in Marion County and the fifth one was in Lake County. The Florida Department of Health didn’t release information about the specific community where the Lake County man lived, but all of the Marion County victims lived in Ocala and had underlying health conditions. Otherwise, they were described as:
- 49-year-old Marion County man who tested positive July 9, hadn’t traveled recently but had been in contact with someone else suffering from the virus;
- 84-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive July 10, hadn’t traveled recently but had been in contact with another patient;
- 56-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive July 22, hadn’t traveled recently but had been in contact with another patient;
- 32-year-old Marion County woman who tested positive July 28, hadn’t traveled recently but had been in contact with another patient; and
- 69-year-old Lake County man who tested positive July 22.
Marion County added 386 new cases from Tuesday to Wednesday for a total of 4,314 among 1,628 men, 2,654 women, 12 non-residents and 20 people listed as unknown. There have been 55 deaths and 373 people requiring some form of hospital care.
A whopping 78.2 percent of Marion County cases – 3,376 – have been reported in Ocala, which saw an overnight increase of 357. Others have been identified in Summerfield (200), Belleview (173), Dunnellon (132), Silver Springs (51), Citra (49), Reddick (49), Ocklawaha (41), Weirsdale (25), Anthony (23), Fort McCoy (12), Orange Lake (7), Lowell (4), Candler (3), East Lake (3), The Villages (3), Sparr (2), Morriston (1) and Salt Springs (1). A total of 660 cases have been reported among inmates (633) and staff members (27) at Lowell Correctional Institution and Marion Correctional Institution.
The tri-county area is reporting a total of 9,685 cases – an increase of 470 in a 24-hour period – among 4,194 men, 5,346 women, 51 non-residents and 94 people listed as unknown. There have been 132 deaths and 745 people have been hospitalized.
Lake County continues to lead the local area with 4,326 cases – an increase of 67 in a 24-hour period – among 2,006 men, 2,219 women, 32 non-residents and 69 people listed as unknown. There have been 50 deaths and 220 people have been treated in area hospitals.
Clermont continues to pace Lake County with 1,083 cases – an increase of 16. Others have been identified in Leesburg (654), Tavares (554), Eustis (361), Groveland (312), Mount Dora (281), Lady Lake (158), Mascotte (151), Minneola (122), Sorrento (112), Umatilla (79), Montverde (78), Fruitland Park (76), Grand Island (42), Howey-in-the-Hills (33), The Villages (26), Astatula (24), Astor (23), Yalaha (18), Altoona (17), Paisley (13), Okahumpka (11), Ferndale (4) and Mount Plymouth (3).
Sumter County is now reporting 1,045 cases – an increase of 17 in 24 hours. Those are comprised of 560 men, 473 women, seven non-residents and five people listed as unknown. There have been 27 deaths and 152 people hospitalized.
Bushnell is now reporting 202 cases – 128 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 103 inmates and 25 staff members. Others have been identified in Oxford (69), Lake Panasoffkee (56), Webster (44), Coleman (37), Center Hill (31), Lady Lake portion of the county (23) and Sumterville (17). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting 399 cases among 320 inmates and 79 staff members.
The Villages continues to lead Sumter County with 362 cases, followed by Bushnell with 202. Of those, 128 of which are at the Sumter Correctional Institution among 103 inmates and 25 staff members. Others have been identified in Wildwood (170), Oxford (69), Lake Panasoffkee (56), Webster (44), Coleman (37), Center Hill (31), Lady Lake portion of the county (23) and Sumterville (17). The federal prison in Coleman also is reporting 399 cases among 320 inmates and 79 staff members.
All told, Florida is reporting 451,423 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 9,446 from Tuesday to Wednesday. Of those, 446,251 are residents. There have been 6,457 deaths and 25,499 people have been hospitalized across the Sunshine State. Those numbers show 217 more deaths since Tuesday and an additional 582 people requiring hospital care.