The state identified the newly reported deaths as follows:
A 78-year-old man whose positive case was counted by the state on Jan. 2.
A 77-year-old man (Case counted Jan. 21).
Lee County s cumulative total of COVID-19 fatalities increased to 781, ninth-highest among Florida counties. Of those deaths, 313 or about 40% were either residents or staff of nursing homes.
So far in January, the state has reported 109 deaths of Lee residents from COVID-19, about 24% more than the reported total for all of December (88). It s also the third deadliest month of the pandemic for Lee, behind July (137 reported deaths) and August (128).
The additional COVID-19 cases increased Lee s January total to 11,179, most in a single month since the pandemic began. The previous mark was set in December (10,522).