Hays County reports 19 COVID-19 recoveries, 18 new cases Thursday

The Hays County Local Health Department reported that 19 additional county residents have recovered from COVID-19 and tallied 18 new cases Thursday. 

There are currently 2,378 active COVID-19 cases — one less than Wednesday — and there have been 5,340 total cases since March 14. 

With the 19 recoveries reported Thursday, 2,916 Hays County residents have now recovered from the disease.

There are currently 17 county residents hospitalized by the coronavirus and there have been 142 total hospitalizations. 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 reported 46 coronavirus-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries. 

The county has received 23,897 negative tests and is awaiting results from 26 tests. There have been 29,263 tests administered in Hays County. 

Free COVID-19 testing through the Texas Division of Emergency Management is currently taking place in Hays County at two locations simultaneously — San Marcos High School, 2601 Rattler Road, and Hays CISD Performing Arts Center in Kyle. Testing began Monday and lasts through Saturday, taking place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

“Hays County, in conjunction with the Texas Division of Emergency Management, has two more days of free COVID-19 testing,”Hays County Epidemiologist Eric Schneider said. “This is a good opportunity for anyone who wants to get tested and no appointment is needed.”

San Marcos has tallied the most coronavirus cases in the county but saw a decrease Thursday with 10 fewer cases than Wednesday.  The city currently has 995 active cases and has had 2,616 total cases.

Kyle now has 867 active cases and has had 1,659 total. Buda has recorded 722 total cases and currently has 355 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 90 total cases and has 65 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 86 total cases, including 26 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 30 active cases and has had 52 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 36 total cases and has 16 active cases. Niederwald has had 30 total cases. Uhland has had 19 total cases and has 13 active cases. Mountain City has had 10 total cases and has seven active cases. 

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

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 2,073 total cases recorded Thursday. 

Nine-hundred county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Six-hundred-fifty-four people diagnosed with the coronavirus are 40-49 years old. Five-hundred-two residents fall in the 50-59-year-old age range. Four-hundred-forty-seven county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are between 10-19 years old, 308 are 60-69 years old, 182 are 9 years old or younger, 182 are 70-79 years old and 92 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 2,784 females and 2,556 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states that 44.6% of county residents diagnosed with the disease don’t have a specified ethnicity, while 37% are Hispanic and 18.4% are non-Hispanic. 

By race, 60.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 36.8% are unknown or not specified, 2% are Black and 0.5% are Asian. 

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.