Hays County reports 3 COVID-19 fatalities, 21 additional cases

Three Hays County residents have died from COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Thursday. 

The county stated that the three who died were a San Marcos man in his 70s, and a Kyle man and woman also in their 70s. All three were hospitalized at the time of their deaths. There have now been 28 coronavirus-related fatalities in Hays County since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14. 

The local health department also reported 57 additional recoveries, 21 new cases, four hospitalizations and a hospital discharge on Thursday. 

There are currently 2,896 active COVID-19 cases — a 39-case decrease since Wednesday —  and there have been 4,297 total cases. 

Hays County has had 102 county residents hospitalized by the coronavirus, including 23 current hospitalizations. According to county Epidemiologist Eric Schneider, 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.

With the additional 57 recoveries reported Thursday, 1,373 county residents have now recovered from the disease. 

The local health department has received 21,401 negative COVID-19 tests and is awaiting results from 46 tests. 

“With our Hays County numbers going down, people might think the virus spread is slowing or that it’s okay to relax our efforts,” Schneider said, “but that’s not the case. We need to work together as a community, and our best advice is to continue social distancing, wearing masks and washing our hands.”

San Marcos has tallied the most coronavirus cases in the county but continues to see a decrease in active cases with 29 less cases than Wednesday. The city currently has 1,427 active cases and has had 2,172 total cases.

Kyle now has 892 active cases and has had 1,284 total. Buda has recorded 578 total cases and currently has 394 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 77 total cases and has 64 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 69 total cases, including 39 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 27 active cases and has had 42 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 32 total cases and has 30 active cases. Niederwald has had 17 total cases and has six active cases. Uhland has had 10 total cases and has nine active cases. 

Maxwell has had six total cases, including three active cases. Mountain City has had five total cases and has two active cases. Manchaca has had three total cases and two 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 1,820. Seven-hundred-seventeen county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Four-hundred-ninety-nine people diagnosed with the disease are 40-49 years old. Three-hundred-eighty-five residents fall in the 50-59-year-old age range. Three-hundred-sixteen county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are between 10-19 years old, 234 are 60-69 years old, 140 are 9 years old or younger, 118 are 70-79 years old and 68 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 2,245 females and 2,052 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states that 41.9% of county residents diagnosed with the disease don’t have a specified ethnicity, while 40.3% are Hispanic and 17.8% are non-Hispanic. 

By race, 49% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 48.7% are unknown or not specified, 1.9% are Black and 0.4% are Asian. 

The DSHS reported 8,800 new cases Wednesday and 84 additional COVID-19-related fatalities. There have now been 412,107 Texans diagnosed with the coronavirus, there have been 6,1274 fatalities and there are 9,296 Texans currently 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.