Florida surpassed 30,000 COVID-19-related deaths on Friday as eight more local residents lost their battle with the fast-spreading virus.
Florida is now reporting 30,214 deaths connected to COVID-19 since the pandemic was first reported in the Sunshine State in March. Those victims include three more residents of Lake County, three in Marion County and two who lived in Sumter County. They are among the 1,482 tri-county area deaths and the 495,015 deaths across the country.
All told, Florida is reporting 1,856,427 cases – an increase of 6,683 from Thursday to Friday. Of those, 1,822,644 are residents. A total of 80,264 COVID-19 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 30,637 in correctional facilities. Across the state, 77,408 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, Marion County is reporting 26,832 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 84 in a 24-hour period. There have been 722 deaths and 1,670 people have been hospitalized.
Ocala continues to lead Marion County with 19,755 cases – an overnight increase of 57. Others have been identified in Summerfield (1,687), Dunnellon (1,217), Belleview (1,134), Silver Springs (541), Citra (455), Ocklawaha (415), Reddick (274), Fort McCoy (265), Anthony (254), Weirsdale (210), The Villages (176), Salt Springs (47), Flemington (34), McIntosh (28), Sparr (21), Orange Lake (21), Lowell (18), Candler (17), East Lake (9), Fairfield (8), Orange Springs (7) and Morriston (5).
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 58,332 – increase of 168
- Deaths: 1,482
- Hospitalizations: 3,410
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 23,786 – increase of 58
- Deaths: 534
- Hospitalizations: 1,243
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (6,216), Leesburg (3,721), Eustis (2,113), Mount Dora (1,815) and Tavares (1,757).
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 7,714 – increase of 26
- Deaths: 226
- Hospitalizations: 497
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (3,617), Wildwood (924), Bushnell (842), Coleman (822) and Oxford (439).