Less than 3,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported Monday across Florida but many Sunshine State residents are concerned about a potential outbreak from spring breakers.
High school and college students – the vast majority of whom shunned face coverings – have flocked to Florida’s beaches across the state, with more than 1,000 arrests last week in Miami alone, where city leaders signed an emergency order to shut down businesses at 8 p.m. Many tourist areas like Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach urged the spring break crowd to wear masks and practice social distancing, but no enforceable COVID-19 mandates were in place.
That left many older Floridians holding their breath that outbreaks won’t crop up in the coming days across the state in places where out-of-state visitors have spent time in recent days. That fear is especially true among some of the most vulnerable residents in retirement communities like On Top of the World, The Villages and Plantation at Leesburg, to name a few, where grandchildren and great-grandchildren are visiting from various states and worldwide locations.
All told, Florida is reporting 2,011,211 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 2,862 from Sunday to Monday. Of those, 1,974,051 are residents. A total of 82,510 COVID-19 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 31,407 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 33,408 deaths and 83,503 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, Marion County is reporting 28,646 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 14 in a 24-hour period. There have been 905 deaths and 1,908 people have been hospitalized.
Ocala is now reporting 20,998 cases – an overnight increase of 14. Others have been identified in Summerfield (1,789), Dunnellon (1,306), Belleview (1,243), Silver Springs (609), Citra (479), Ocklawaha (462), Fort McCoy (293), Reddick (292), Anthony (272), Weirsdale (225), The Villages (181), Salt Springs (49), Flemington (34), McIntosh (31), Sparr (22), Orange Lake (22), Lowell (19), Candler (19), East Lake (11), Fairfield (8), Orange Springs (8) and Morriston (6).
Below is a breakdown of other COVID-19 activity in the local area:
TRI-COUNTY AREA
- Cases: 63,173 – increase of 62
- Deaths: 1,742
- Hospitalizations: 3,821
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 26,009 – increase of 31
- Deaths: 594
- Hospitalizations: 1,375
- Vaccinations: 102,458 (59,863 both doses)
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (6,828), Leesburg (3,977), Eustis (2,286), Mount Dora (1,947) and Tavares (1,862).
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 8,518 – increase of 17
- Deaths: 243
- Hospitalizations: 538
- Vaccinations: 53,213 (34,148 both doses)
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (4,040), Wildwood (988), Bushnell (906), Coleman (839) and Oxford (487).