Nine more local residents have succumbed to COVID-19 as Florida topped 1.6 million cases and the tri-county area surpassed 49,000 positive results since March when the pandemic first hit the Sunshine State.
Six of the latest fatalities were residents of Sumter County and the other three lived in Marion County. They are among the 1,097 deaths in the tri-county area, the 24,965 in Florida and the 404,284 across the country.
All told, Florida is reporting 1,601,011 cases – an increase of 11,914 from Tuesday to Wednesday. Of those, 1,571,840 are residents. A total of 72,388 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 28,393 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 68,932 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, Marion County is reporting 22,644 cases – an increase of 220 in a 24-hour period. There have been 556 deaths and 1,483 people have been hospitalized.
Ocala continues to pace Marion County with 16,643 COVID-19 cases – an overnight increase of 135. Others have been identified in Summerfield (1,400), Dunnellon (998), Belleview (941), Silver Springs (395), Citra (385), Ocklawaha (337), Reddick (248), Fort McCoy (205), Anthony (200), Weirsdale (168), The Villages (62), Salt Springs (38), Flemington (34), McIntosh (22), Sparr (20), Orange Lake (18), Candler (17), Lowell (17), Morriston (6), Orange Springs (6), East Lake (6) and Fairfield (5).
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 49,094 – increase of 472
- Deaths: 1,097
- Hospitalizations: 3,012
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 19,897 – increase of 184
- Deaths: 378
- Hospitalizations: 1,097
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (5,191), Leesburg (3,173), Eustis (1,770), Mount Dora (1,507) and Tavares (1,457).
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 6,553 – increase of 68
- Deaths: 163
- Hospitalizations: 432
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (2,953), Coleman (811), Wildwood (799), Bushnell (713) and Oxford (384).