11 Hays County residents die of COVID-19, 274 new cases reported Monday

Eleven Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Monday. 

Among those who died from the coronavirus include a San Marcos man in his 80s; Kyle woman in her 80s; a Dripping Springs man in his 70s; three Kyle men in their 60s; a Buda man in his 60s; a Wimberley man in his 60s; two Kyle men their 50s; and a Niederwald woman in her 50s. The local health department stated that eight fatalities occurred between Aug. 28-30 and three happened between Aug. 21-27. Hays County has now recorded 318 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

The local health department also tallied 473 additional recoveries from the coronavirus, 274 new cases, 31 hospitalizations and 19 hospital discharges on Monday, which included information from over the weekend. 

Hays County considers 2,024 cases active — 160 fewer than Friday — and there have been 25,142 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 3,299 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 2,781 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Aug. 30, 2021.

Sixty county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 53 who are unvaccinated and seven who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 53 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 21 are in the ICU and on a ventilator, 12 are not in the ICU and nine are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator. Additionally, six of the county residents hospitalized who are vaccinated are not in the ICU, while one is in the ICU and on a ventilator. There have been 1,183 total hospitalizations as of Monday.

There have been 22,800 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 473 recoveries tallied Monday.

The local health department has received 221,557 negative tests and there have been 246,699 tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Monday's report was approximately 11.4%.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has conducted random testing for positive cases of the Delta variant and there has been one confirmed positive Delta case detected in Hays County. The county, however, stated that the case is no longer considered active.

San Marcos recorded 96 new cases Monday. The city currently has 717 active cases — 68 fewer than Friday — and there have been 8,664 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 8,149 total cases, including 632 active cases. Buda has tallied 4,524 total cases and currently has 343 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,238 total cases and has 91 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,149 total cases, including 121 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 715 total cases and has 55 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 355 total cases with 47 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 119 total cases, including nine active cases. Mountain City has amassed 69 total cases with four currently considered active. Maxwell has had 56 total cases. Uhland has had 44 total cases and has three active cases. Manchaca has recorded 30 total cases with one currently considered active.

Woodcreek has recorded 12 total. Creedmoor has recorded eight total cases. Bear Creek has amassed seven total cases with one case considered active. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 6,763 total cases tallied as of Monday. There are currently 436 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 4,005 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 428 cases considered active; 3,971 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 339 with active cases; 3,411  people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 275 cases considered active; 2,411 are between 50-59 years old, including 145 active cases; 1,860 are 9 years old or younger with 213 cases considered active; and 1,562 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 139 are considered active cases.

Seven-hundred-forty Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 32 active cases; and 413 are 80 and older with 17 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 13,089 females and 12,053 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 1,030 active cases among females in the county and there are 994 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.5% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 36.1% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 14.4% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 68.9% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.9% are unknown or not specified, 3.2% are Black, 1% are Asian, 0.9% are listed as other and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 8,410 lab-confirmed cases Monday. There have now been 2,999,659 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 55,404 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 13,768 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Monday is 14.781%.

At Texas State University there have been 531 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 475 among students and 56 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 371 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 27 active COVID-19 cases for the week of April 12 — 21 among 8,000 SMCISD students and seven among 1,230 faculty and 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.

COVID-19 VACCINE SIGNUP

To make an appointment for a vaccine shot, visit https://www.haysinformed.com. From there you can use the new online scheduler to find a time and location that works best for you. According to the DSHS, 114,773 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Monday, approximately 58.56% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 137,830 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 70.32% of the eligible population.

“No appointment needed” vaccine clinics are available Monday-Friday at Live Oak Community Clinic, 401 Broadway, in San Marcos between 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available at this clinic. 

A walk-in Pfizer vaccine clinic takes place at Communicare in Kyle at 2810 Dacy Lane every Monday-Friday between 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.

COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in San Marcos at multiple CVS pharmacies, multiple Walgreens pharmacies, both H-E-B pharmacies, MedPark Pharmacy, San Marcos Family Medicine and Sam’s Club Pharmacy. Visit https://hayscountytx.com/covid-19-information-for-hays-county-residents/ to see other locations across the county. Check with each location to see if an appointment is required or if walk-in is accepted.