San Marcos woman dies from COVID-19; County records 186 new cases Thursday

A San Marcos woman in her 70s has died of COVID-19, marking the 148th coronavirus-related fatality in Hays County. 

The Hays County Local Health Department also tallied 186 new lab-confirmed cases, 42 recoveries, seven hospitalizations and six hospital discharges on Thursday. 

There are currently 2,332 active COVID-19 cases — a 143-case increase since Wednesday — and there have been 12,809 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus since March 14, 2020. There have been 3,219 active cases over the last 21 days as of Thursday. The county stated that there have been 1,486 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 14, 2021.

There are currently 45 county residents hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 627  total hospitalizations as of Thursday. 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. 

With the 42 additional recoveries recorded Thursday, 10,329 county residents have now recovered from the disease.

The local health department has received 88,275 negative tests and there have been 101,066 tests administered in Hays County. 

San Marcos recorded 49 new cases Thursday. There are currently 778 active cases — 39 more than Wednesday —  and there have been 4,964 total cases. 

Kyle has tallied 3,921 total cases, including 678 active cases. Buda has recorded 2,234 total cases and currently has 485 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 566 total cases and has 137 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 72 active cases and has had 341 total cases. Wimberley has tallied 434 total cases, including 112 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 156 total cases and has 27 active cases. Niederwald has had 76 total cases and has 25 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 33 cases and three currently active cases. Uhland has had 28 total cases and currently has three active cases. Manchaca has recorded 19 total cases and has two active cases. Maxwell has had 24 total cases and has nine active cases. 

Bear Creek has tallied four total cases. Creedmoor has had four total cases, including one active case. Woodcreek has had two total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 3,887 total cases tallied as of Thursday.

According to the local health department, 2,017 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old, 1,708 people are 40-49 years old and 1,753 residents fall in the 10-19-year-old age range and 1,267 are between 50-59 years old.

Seven-hundred-ninety-six county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old, 737 are 9 years old or younger, 413 are 70-79 years old and 231 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 6,721 females and 6,088 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states 48% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 32.1% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 20% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.9% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 26.4% are unknown or not specified, 2.6% are Black, 0.9% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported there have now been 1,794,545 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 31,050 fatalities as of Thursday. There are currently 14,052 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 1,483 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 1,325 among students and 158 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Thursday. There are currently 149 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD is reporting 16 active COVID-19 cases — 16 among staff and three among students. Three cases are considered onsite cases. 

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.

COVID-19 VACCINE AVAILABILITY

According to a map provided by the DSHS, there are four providers in San Marcos who currently have received vaccine doses: HEB Pharmacy 455 (200 W. Hopkins St.); HEB Pharmacy 243 (641 E. Hopkins St.); Premier ER San Marcos (1509 N. Interstate 35); and San Marcos Family Medicine (2406 Hunter Road). According to the state, only groups 1A — frontline health care workers and residents of a long-term care facility — and 1B, which consists of those who are 65 years and older and people 16 years and older who have a chronic medical condition such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. Before visiting a hospital or clinic for a vaccine call ahead or visit their website.