Hays County reports 105 new COVID-19 cases, 11 recoveries

The Hays County Local Health Department reported 105 new COVID-19 cases and 11 additional recoveries Wednesday. 

There are now 2,434 active cases and there have been 2,924 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within the county on March 14. 

With the 11 new recoveries, 483 county residents have now recovered from the disease. 

Hays County reported no new hospitalizations Wednesday, keeping the current hospitalization count at 17. There have been 62 total hospitalizations. 

The county has reported seven COVID-19-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the virus. 

The local health department has received 7,351 negative tests and is awaiting results of 66 tests. 

“The best way to slow the spread of the virus is to keep distanced, wear a mask and wash your hand often with soap and water,” Hays County Epidemiologist Eric Schneider said. 

San Marcos tallied 30 new cases Wednesday, increasing its active case count to 1,490 and total count to 1,649. 

Kyle now has 569 active cases and has had 800 total. Buda has recorded 321 total cases and currently has 256 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 42 total cases, which includes 31 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 37 total cases and has 28 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 29 active cases and has had 19 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 16 total cases and has 14 active cases. Niederwald has had 10 total cases and has eight active cases. Maxwell has had six total cases, including five active cases.

Uhland has had four total cases and has three active cases. Manchaca and Mountain City both have two total active cases. Bear Creek has had one total case.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 1,434. 

Four-hundred-fifty-eight county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Three-hundred-eight people diagnosed with the coronavirus are 40-49 years old. Two-hundred-thirty-nine residents fall in the 50-59-year-old age range. One-hundred-eighty-five county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are between 10-19 years old, 130 are 60-69 years old, 72 are 9 years old or younger, 60 are 70-79 years old and 38 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 1,527 females and 1,397 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with the disease.

Hays County recently began reporting a breakdown of cases by ethnicity and race. According to the local health department, 41.8% of county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 don’t have a specified ethnicity, while 39.4% are Hispanic and 18.8% are non-Hispanic. 

By race, 52.1% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 46.1% are unknown or not specified, 1.3% are Black and 0.5% are Asian. 

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported its largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases Wednesday with 8,076 new diagnoses. The DSHS reports that 168,062 Texans have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, there have been 2,481 fatalities and there have been an estimated 87,556 Texans who have recovered from the disease. According to the DSHS, there are 6,904 Texans currently hospitalized by the coronavirus. 

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.