Hays County reports 14th COVID-19 fatality, 70 new cases

A Mountain City man in his 70s has died from complications caused by COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Wednesday. 

There have now been 14 coronavirus-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the virus within Hays County on March 14. 

County Epidemiologist Eric Schneider also reported 70 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 37 additional recoveries, four hospital discharges and three hospitalizations on Wednesday. 

There are now 2,974 active virus cases and there have been 3,769 total in Hays County. 

With the four hospital discharges and three additional hospitalizations, 22 county residents are currently hospitalized by the disease and there have been 78 total hospitalizations. 

According to the local health department, 781 county residents have recovered from the coronavirus with the newly announced 38 recoveries Wednesday. 

The county has received 10,997 negative tests and is awaiting results from 66 tests. 

“We can only slow the spread of this virus by working together but staying six feet apart,” Schneider said in a statement. “We also urge all Hays County residents to continue washing their hands, wearing masks and staying home as much as possible.”

San Marcos surpassed 2,000 total COVID-19 cases Wednesday. The city has now recorded 2,021 total cases and has 1,632 active cases. 

Kyle now has 803 active cases and has had 1,074 total. Buda has recorded 461 total cases and currently has 375 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 65 total cases and has 54 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 58 total cases, including 43 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 21 active cases and has had 33 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 21 total cases and has 19 active cases. Niederwald has had 14 total cases and has 10 active cases. 

Uhland has had eight total cases and has seven active cases. Maxwell has had six total cases, including five active cases. Mountain City has had four total cases and has two active cases. Manchaca has had two total active cases. Bear Creek has had one total case.

The 20-29-age-range has tallied the most COVID-19 cases with 1,696. Six-hundred-twenty-eight county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Four-hundred-eighteen people diagnosed with the disease are 40-49 years old. Three-hundred-twenty-five residents fall in the 50-59-year-old age range. Two-hundred-forty-eight county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are between 10-19 years old, 198 are 60-69 years old, 109 are 9 years old or younger, 94 are 70-79 years old and 53 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 1,962 females and 1,807 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

According to the county’s ethnic breakdown, 42.4% of county residents diagnosed with the disease don’t have a specified ethnicity, while 39.7% are Hispanic and 17.9% are non-Hispanic. 

By race, 53.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 44.1% are unknown or not specified, 1.8% are Black and 0.5% are Asian. 

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported a record 10,791 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday. The DSHS reported that 282,365 Texans have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, there have been 3,432 fatalities and there have been an estimated 149,276 Texans who have recovered from the disease. There are currently 10,471 Texans hospitalized by the virus. 

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.