2 Hays County Residents Die Of COVID-19; 179 New Cases Reported In Weekly Report

Two Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19, marking the 409th and 410th coronavirus-related fatalities. 

The Hays County Local Health Department also reported that the two county residents who died were a San Marcos woman in her 90s and an Austin boy under 10 years old. 

An additional 179 new lab-confirmed cases, 67 recoveries, 10 hospitalizations and five hospital discharges were reported in the local health department's weekly report, which included information from Dec. 7-13. 

The county considers 375 cases active — 104 more than last week’s report — and there have been 30,731 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 450 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,491 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Dec. 13, 2021.

Fifteen county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 —  11 who are unvaccinated and four who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 11 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, five are non-ICU patients, four are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and two are in the ICU and on a ventilator. Additionally, two of the residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and two are non-ICU patients. There have been 1,387 total hospitalizations as of Monday. 

The county has tallied 29,946 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 67 recoveries reported Monday.

The local health department has received 293,066 negative tests and there have been 323,797 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for this week’s report was 5.72%. 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 38 new cases between Dec. 7-13. The city currently has 95 active cases — 20 more than last week — and there have been 10,069 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 10,022 total cases, including 155 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,678 total cases and currently has 70 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,446 total cases and has 17 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,686 total cases, including 19 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 871 total cases and has eight active cases. Driftwood has recorded 486 total cases with one case considered active. Niederwald has had 147 total cases including four active cases. Mountain City has amassed 83 total cases. Maxwell has had  83 total cases, including one active case. Uhland has had 66 total cases with two considered active. Manchaca has recorded 63 total cases and three active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 19 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 7,633 total cases tallied as of Monday. There are currently 69 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 5,270 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 61 cases considered active; 4,803 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 67 with active cases; 4,160 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 53 cases considered active; 2,883 are between 50-59 years old, including 36 active cases; 2,755 are 9 years old or younger with 49 cases considered active; and 1,853 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 21 are considered active cases.

Nine-hundred-five Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 15 active cases; and 469 are 80 and older with four cases currently active.

There have been 15,982 total coronavirus cases among females and 14,749 among males in Hays County. There are currently 192 active cases among females in the county and 183 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 48.5% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.9% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.6% 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 35,290 lab-confirmed cases between Dec. 7-13. There have now been 3,629,844 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 73,409 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 3,110 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Monday is 9.25%.

At Texas State University there have been 2,029 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,876 among students and 153 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 38 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. 

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.

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, 134,707 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Monday, approximately 62.56% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older. 

Additionally, 155,746 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 72.34% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 32,707 county residents have received a COVID-19 booster shot.

“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.