Six more local residents have died of COVID-19 as Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated Tuesday that all Floridians would soon be able to get vaccinations against the deadly disease.
All six of the latest fatalities lived in Marion County. They are among the 1,746 deaths across the tri-county area, the 33,449 in Florida and the 543,477 across the country, according to statistics provided by the Florida Department of Health and Johns Hopkins University.
DeSantis, speaking Tuesday at a vaccination clinic in Pensacola that will be distributing 2,000 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week, vowed that all Floridians will be able to get doses “way before May 1” – a mandate put in place for states, tribes and territories recently by President Joe Biden.
DeSantis also announced that more than 3 million seniors across the Sunshine State have received Coronavirus vaccines, with about 70 percent of those 65 and older receiving doses. The governor lowered the eligibility age for vaccinations to 50 last week after citing a lower demand for the doses since January.
All told, Florida is reporting 2,016,513 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 5,302 from Monday to Tuesday. Of those, 1,979,240 are residents. A total of 82,597 COVID-19 cases have been reported in long-term care centers and 31,437 in correctional facilities. Across the state, there have been 33,449 deaths and 83,804 people have been hospitalized.
Locally, Marion County is reporting 28,677 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 31 in a 24-hour period. There have been 911 deaths and 1,918 people have been hospitalized.
Ocala is now reporting 21,026 COVID-19 cases – an increase of 28 in a 24-hour period. Others have been identified in Summerfield (1,790), Dunnellon (1,306), Belleview (1,245), Silver Springs (610), Citra (479), Ocklawaha (461), Fort McCoy (293), Reddick (293), Anthony (272), Weirsdale (225), The Villages (181), Salt Springs (49), Flemington (34), McIntosh (30), 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: 63,331 – increase of 158
- Deaths: 1,746
- Hospitalizations: 3,843
LAKE COUNTY
- Cases: 26,092 – increase of 83
- Deaths: 592
- Hospitalizations: 1,384
- Vaccinations: 104,509 (60,368 both doses)
- Cities with most cases: Clermont (6,848), Leesburg (3,982), Eustis (2,292), Mount Dora (1,951) and Tavares (1,869).
SUMTER COUNTY
- Cases: 8,562 – increase of 44
- Deaths: 243
- Hospitalizations: 541
- Vaccinations: 53,783 (34,456 both doses)
- Areas/cities with most cases: The Villages (4,057), Wildwood (994), Bushnell (909), Coleman (839) and Oxford (488).