2 Hays County residents die from COVID-19, 66 new cases tallied Thursday

The Hays County Local Health Department announced two new COVID-19 related fatalities, 66 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 32 additional recoveries, four  hospitalizations and two hospital discharges on Thursday. 

There are currently 648 active coronavirus cases — a 32-case decrease since Wednesday — and there have been 6,899 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 810 active cases over the last 21 days — a 60-case increase since Wednesday. The county reported that there have been 833 probable cases spanning from April through early November.

“As the holidays approach, it is important that we remember to continue washing our hands, staying distanced and wearing masks around others — even extended family members — to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” Hays County Epidemiologist Eric Schneider said. 

There are currently 11 county residents hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 414 total hospitalizations following the fluctuation between 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 6,156 residents recover from the disease as of Thursday. 

There have been 95 coronavirus-related fatalities reported in Hays County since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries. 

The local health department has received 44,967 negative tests and there have been 51,866 tests administered in Hays County.

San Marcos, which has tallied the most coronavirus cases in the county, recorded a three-case increase in active cases Thursday. There are currently 90 active COVID-19 cases and there have been 3,079 total cases.

Kyle has tallied 2,164 total cases, including 266 active cases. Buda has recorded 1,054 total cases and currently has 168 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 190 total cases and has 59 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 135 total cases, including 14 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 29 active cases and has had 119 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 64 total cases and has 14 active cases. Niederwald has had 32 total cases and has two active cases. Uhland has had 23 total cases and no active cases. Mountain City has had 16 total cases and has five active cases.

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

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 2,378 total cases tallied as of Thursday.

According to the local health department, 1,085 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Eight-hundred-seventy-two people diagnosed with the coronavirus are 40-49 years old. Eight-hundred-fifty-five residents fall in the 10-19-year-old age range. 

Six-hundred-fifty-two county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are between 50-59 years old, 421 are 60-69 years old, 232 are 70-79 years old, 267 are 9 years old or younger and 137 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 3,583 females and 3,316 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states 45.6% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 29.4% of county residents diagnosed with the disease don’t have a specified ethnicity and 25.0% are non-Hispanic.

By race, 65.8% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 31.2% are unknown or not specified, 2.4% are Black and 0.6% are Asian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that there have now been 1,060,883 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19, 20,113 fatalities and an estimated 896,191 recoveries from the disease as of Thursday. There are currently 7,982 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 985 total coronavirus cases since March 1 — 923 among students and 62 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Thursday. There are currently 110 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 11 active COVID-19 cases — nine among faculty and staff and four among students.

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.