Kyle woman dies from COVID-19; County reports 66 new cases Thursday

The Hays County Local Health Department reported one new COVID-19-related fatality, a Kyle woman in her 60s. 

The local health department also tallied 66 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 34 recoveries, three hospital discharges and two new hospitalizations on Thursday.

There are currently 769 active coronavirus cases — a 31-case increase since Wednesday — and there have been 7,592 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within Hays County on March 14. The local health department also reported that there have been 1,130 active cases over the last 21 days — a seven-case decrease since Wednesday. The county reported that there have been 902 probable cases spanning from April through Dec. 3. 

There are currently nine county residents hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 437 total hospitalizations following the fluctuation in hospitalizations and hospital discharges reported Thursday. Some patients hospitalized by COVID-19 are in hospitals outside of Hays County but are included in the county’s numbers if they reside within the county, the local health department said.

Hays County has now had 6,718 residents recover from the disease as of Thursday. 

The county has tallied 105 coronavirus-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries.

The local health department has received 52,811 negative tests and there have been 60,403 tests administered in Hays County.

Epidemiologist Eric Schneider urged continued vigilance by all Hays County residents.

“Let’s not allow complacency to cause us to relax our efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus,” Schneider said. “The best way to keep everyone safe is to mask up, stay home when possible, wash our hands and avoid gatherings with groups of people.”

San Marcos, which has tallied the most coronavirus cases in the county, recorded three new active cases on Thursday. There are currently 75 active COVID-19 cases and there have been 3,137 total cases.

Kyle has tallied 2,447 total cases, including 314 active cases. Buda has recorded 1,242 total cases and currently has 209 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 272 total cases and has 85 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 39 active cases and has had 154 total cases. Wimberley has tallied 155 total cases, including 20 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 85 total cases and has 21 active cases. Niederwald has had 35 total cases and has three active cases. Uhland has had 23 total cases.

Maxwell has had nine total cases. Manchaca has had nine total cases, including one active case. Bear Creek has had three total cases. Woodcreek has had two total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 2,493 total cases tallied as of Thursday.

According to the local health department, 1,201 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Nine-hundred-seventy-eight people diagnosed with the coronavirus are 40-49 years old. Nine-hundred-fifty-nine residents fall in the 10-19-year-old age range. Seven-hundred-forty-eight county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are between 50-59 years old, 476 are 60-69 years old, 257 are 70-79 years old, 312 are 9 years old or younger and 168 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 3,951 females and 3,641 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states 45.47% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 27.77% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 26.77 don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 68.3% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 28.7% are unknown or not specified, 2.3% are Black and 0.7% are Asian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported there have now been 1,215,113 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19, 22,000 fatalities and an estimated 1,003,141 recoveries from the disease as of press time on Thursday. There are currently 9,151 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 1,162 total coronavirus cases since March 1 — 1,1087 among students and 75 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Thursday. There are currently 115 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

As San Marcos Consolidated ISD brought back students at roughly 55% capacity in November, the district is reporting seven active COVID-19 cases — four among students and three among faculty and staff.

COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks for most people. The disease, however, can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death, especially for older adults and people with existing health problems.