Hays County reports 11th COVID-19 fatality, 85 new cases

A Mountain City man in his 70s died from COVID-19 complications, marking the 11th virus-related fatality in Hays County, the county announced Wednesday. 

The Hays County Local Health Department also reported 85 new coronavirus cases and 15 additional recoveries on Wednesday. 

There are now 2,721 active COVID-19 cases and there have been 3,328 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus in Hays County on March 14. 

With the 15 new recoveries, 596 county residents have recovered from the disease. 

There are now 20 county residents hospitalized by the coronavirus and there have been 69 total hospitalizations.  

The local health department has received 10,417 negative tests and is awaiting results from 61 tests. 

“The COVID-19 virus is still active in Hays County,” Epidemiologist Eric Schneider said Tuesday. “And while it may not hurt you personally, you could pass it along to a loved one or friend who isn’t able to fight the virus.”

San Marcos has recorded the most COVID-19 cases in Hays County with 1,846 total cases, which includes 1,595 active cases.

Kyle now has 674 active cases and has had 916 total. Buda has recorded 389 total cases and currently has 314 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 49 total cases and has 40 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 47 total cases, which includes 36 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 22 active cases and has had 32 total cases.

Driftwood has recorded 20 total cases and has 18 active cases. Niederwald has had 11 total cases and has eight active cases. Maxwell has had six total cases, including five active cases. Uhland has had five total cases and has four active cases. Mountain City has four total active cases, Manchaca has two total active cases and Bear Creek has had one total case.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 1,565. 

Five-hundred-twenty-nine county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are between 30-39 years old. Three-hundred-sixty-six people diagnosed with the disease are 40-49 years old. Two-hundred-seventy-seven residents fall in the 50-59-year-old age range. Two-hundred-sixteen county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are between 10-19 years old, 161 are 60-69 years old, 95 are 9 years old or younger, 76 are 70-79 years old and 43 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 1,727 females and 1,601 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with the disease.

According to the county's ethnic breakdown, 42.1% of county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 don’t have a specified ethnicity, while 39.5% are Hispanic and 18.4% are non-Hispanic. 

By race, 52.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 45.7% are unknown or not specified, 1.2% are Black and 0.5% are Asian. 

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported 9,979 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday and a record-high 98 additional fatalities. The DSHS reports that 220,564 Texans have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, there have been 2,813 fatalities and there have been an estimated 113,284 Texans who have recovered from the disease. According to the DSHS, there are 9,610 Texans currently hospitalized by the disease. 

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.