Eighteen more local residents have lost their battle with COVID-19 as new cases of the deadly virus continued to skyrocket across the local area and the Sunshine State – including more than 400 in Ocala alone.
Eleven of the latest fatalities were in Marion County, while seven lived in Lake County and one was a resident of Sumter County. They are among the 897 local deaths, the 22,210 across the state and the 349,709 across the United States.
All told, Florida is reporting 1,354,883 cases – an increase of 31,568 from Thursday to Saturday – an average of 15,784 cases per day. Of those, 1,331,059 are residents. A total of 65,244 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 27,390 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 63,148 people also have been hospitalized.
Locally, Marion County is reporting 18,458 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 659 in a 48-hour period. There have been 474 deaths and 1,345 people have been hospitalized.
Ocala continues to pace Marion County with 13,764 cases – an increase of 424 since Thursday. Others have been identified in Summerfield (1,075), Dunnellon (821), Belleview (734), Citra (322), Silver Springs (321), Ocklawaha (272), Reddick (188), Fort McCoy (155), Anthony (143), Weirsdale (127), The Villages (58), Flemington (34), Salt Springs (32), Sparr (17), McIntosh (16), Orange Lake (15), Candler (14), Lowell (11), Morriston (6), Orange Springs (6), East Lake (5) and Fairfield (4).
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 39,863 – increase of 1,420
- Deaths: 897
- Hospitalizations: 2,723
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 16,106 – increase of 547
- Deaths: 302
- Hospitalizations: 998
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (4,284), Leesburg (2,571), Eustis (1,328), Mount Dora (1,245) and Tavares (1,211).
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 5,299 – increase of 214
- Deaths: 121
- Hospitalizations: 380
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (2,218), Coleman (775), Wildwood (698), Bushnell (576) and Oxford (304).