2 Hays County residents die of COVID-19, 1,229 new cases reported in weekly report

The Hays County Local Health Department recorded two COVID-19-related fatalities on Tuesday. 

A San Marcos woman in her 70s and a Buda man in his 50s recently died from the coronavirus, marking the 412th and 413th COVID-19 deaths in Hays County.

An additional 1,229 new lab-confirmed cases, 185 recoveries, 19 hospitalizations and 11 hospital discharges reported in the local health department’s weekly report, which included information from Dec. 22-28. 

The county considers 1,510 cases active — 1,036 more than last week’s report — and there have been 32,239  total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 1,661 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,685 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Dec. 28, 2021.

Twenty county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 —  16 who are unvaccinated and four who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 16 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, eight are in the ICU and not on a ventilator, six are non-ICU patients and two are in the ICU and on a ventilator. Additionally, the four residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients. There have been 1,413  total hospitalizations as of Monday. 

The county has tallied 30,316 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 185 recoveries reported Monday.

The local health department has received 301,813 negative tests and there have been 334,052 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for this week’s report was approximately 18.68%. The county removed six cases from its total case count due to out-of-county or duplicate records following its weekly audit.

San Marcos tallied 389 new cases between Dec. 22-28. The city currently has 472 active cases — 344 more than last week — and there have been 10,530 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 10,504 total cases, including 480 active cases. Buda has tallied 6,010 total cases and currently has 329 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,508 total cases and has 62 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,758 total cases, including 72 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 934 total cases and has 59 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 496 total cases with 10 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 158 total cases including 11 active cases. Maxwell has had 88 total cases, including five active cases. Mountain City has amassed 86 total cases. Uhland has had 72 total cases with six considered active. Manchaca has recorded 64 total cases and one active case. Woodcreek has recorded 13 total cases. 

Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases. Creedmoor has recorded seven total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 8,058 total cases tallied as of Monday. There are currently 427 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 5,451 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 183 cases considered active; 5,133 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 325 with active cases; 4,392 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 233 cases considered active; 2,997 are between 50-59 years old, including 112 active cases; 2,874 are 9 years old or younger with 122 cases considered active; and 1,919  county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 68 are considered active cases.

Nine-hundred-thirty-two Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 26 active cases; and 483 are 80 and older with 14 cases currently active.

There have been 16,830 total coronavirus cases among females and 15,409 among males in Hays County. There are currently 847 active cases among females in the county and 663 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 48.4% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 38.2% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.4% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 70.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 23.6% are unknown or not specified, 3.3% are Black, 1.4% are listed as other, 1% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 88,277 lab-confirmed cases between Dec. 21-28, There have now been 3,755,875 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 74,330 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 4,431 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Monday is 22.3%.

At Texas State University there have been 2,047 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,888 among students and 159 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 33 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported three active COVID-19 cases as of Monday  — two among 8,200 students and one among 1,230 faculty and staff members. SMCISD is currently on its winter break.

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.

In its weekly report, Hays County officials reminded residents to take precautions during the holiday season, especially if traveling or have family coming into town. Practicing frequent hand washing, social distancing and wearing a mask around large groups of people can slow the spread of the coronavirus. 

VACCINE AVAILABILITY 

“No appointment needed” vaccine clinics are available Monday-Friday at Live Oak Community Clinic, 401 Broadway, in San Marcos between 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 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, B&J 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.

According to the DSHS, 134,895 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Monday, approximately 62.65% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older.  Additionally,158,222 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 73.49% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 39,835 county residents have received a COVID-19 booster shot.