Hays County reports COVID-19 fatality, 51 new cases Tuesday

An Austin woman in her 90s died from COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Tuesday. 

There have now been 63 coronavirus-related fatalities in the county and nine in the last week. 

The local health department also tallied 76 additional COVID-19 recoveries, 51 new cases, and three hospitalizations on Tuesday. 

There are currently 635 active coronavirus cases — 26 fewer than Monday — and there have been 6,212 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus in Hays County on March 14. The county also reported that there have been 296 active cases over the last 21 days — a six-case increase since Monday.

The local health department states that there have been 764 probable cases spanning from April through October.

There are currently eight county residents hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 360 total hospitalizations with the three new hospitalizations reported Tuesday. 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 now had 5,513 residents recover from the disease following the 76 new recoveries tallied Tuesday.

The local health department has received 32,579 negative tests and there have been 38,791  tests administered in Hays County.

San Marcos has seen the most coronavirus cases in the county but tallied less than 100 active cases on Tuesday. The city currently has 40 active cases — 13 less than Monday — and has had 3,107 total cases as of Tuesday.

Kyle now has 409 active cases and has had 1,841 total. Buda has recorded 837 total cases and currently has 113 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 115 total cases and has 40 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 111 total cases, including three active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has five active cases and has had 70 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 46 total cases and has 15 active cases. Niederwald has had 32 total cases and there is one active case. Uhland has had 20 total cases. Mountain City has had 12 total cases and has five active cases.

Manchaca has had nine total cases and has two active cases. Maxwell has had nine total cases. Bear Creek has one active case and has had two total cases. Woodcreek has had one total case.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 2,313 total cases tallied as of Tuesday.

According to the local health department, 1,007 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Seven-hundred-sixteen people diagnosed with the coronavirus are 40-49 years old. Seven-hundred-five residents fall in the 10-19-year-old age range. Five-hundred-seventy-four county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are between 50-59 years old, 360 are 60-69 years old, 214 are 70-79 years old, 207 are 9 years old or younger and 116 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 3,247 females and 2,965 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states 43.3% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 36.8% of county residents diagnosed with the disease don’t have a specified ethnicity and 20% are non-Hispanic.

By race, 61.9% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 35.2% are unknown or not specified, 2.3% are Black and 0.6% are Asian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Tuesday that there have now been 833,557 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19, there have been 17,087 fatalities and there are 4,588 Texans currently hospitalized by the virus. An estimated 733,758 Texans have recovered from the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 754 total coronavirus cases since March 1 — 709 among students and 45 among faculty and staff — as of Tuesday. There are currently 54 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

As San Marcos Consolidated ISD brought back students at roughly 50% capacity on Oct. 5, the district is reporting five total onsite cases among students and two staff members.

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.