2 Hays County residents die of COVID-19, 190 new cases reported Tuesday

Two Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19, marking the 365th and 366th coronavirus-related fatalities. 

The Hays County Local Health Department reported that the two residents who died were a Kyle woman in her 60s and a Wimberley man in his 60s. 

The count also reported 269 additional recoveries, 70 new lab-confirmed cases, four 13 hospital discharges and one hospitalization on Tuesday.

The county considers 1,292 cases active — 183 fewer than Monday — and there have been 28,435 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 2,523 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,143 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Sept. 28, 2021.

Forty county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 35 who are unvaccinated and five who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 35 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 17 are in the ICU and on a ventilator, 13 are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator and five are non-ICU patients. Additionally, three of the five residents who are hospitalized and fully vaccinated are currently non-ICU patients, while two are in the ICU and on a ventilator. There have been 1,292 total hospitalizations as of Tuesday. 

There have been 26,795 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 269 recoveries tallied Tuesday.

The local health department has received 253,523 negative tests and there have been 281,958 tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Tuesday’s report was approximately 9.6%. 

San Marcos tallied seven new cases Tuesday. The city currently has 373 active cases — 69 less than Monday — and there have been 9,643 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 9,206 total cases, including 426 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,099 total cases and currently has 192 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,367 total cases and has 50 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,469 total cases, including 134 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 796 total cases and has 35 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 437 total cases with 27 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 135 total cases, including nine active cases. Mountain City has amassed 75 total cases. Maxwell has had 73 total cases, including 12 active cases. Uhland has had 53 total cases and has three active cases. Manchaca has recorded 52 total cases with 12 currently considered active.

Woodcreek has recorded 12 total. Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases, including one active case. 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 7,317 total cases tallied as of Tuesday. There are currently 190 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 4,781 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 300 cases considered active; 4,451 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 187 with active cases; 3,844 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 162 cases considered active; 2,664 are between 50-59 years old, including 103 active cases; 2,392 are 9 years old or younger with 204 cases considered active; and 1,717 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 77 are considered active cases.

Eight-hundred-twenty-two Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 41 active cases; and 447 are 80 and older with 10 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 14,796 females and 13,639 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 668 active cases among females in the county and there are 606 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.1% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.8% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.7% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 24.8% are unknown or not specified, 3.3% are Black, 1% are Asian, 1% are listed as other and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 11,375 lab-confirmed cases Tuesday. There have now been 3,359,034 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 63,245 fatalities as of Tuesday. There are currently 9,551 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Tuesday is 11.091%.

At Texas State University there have been 1,595 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,480 among students and 115 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 109 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 66 active COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday — 58 among 8,000 SMCISD students and eight 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, 122,624 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday, approximately 62.56% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 143,093 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 73.01% 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.

A drive-thru vaccine clinic will soon be offered Monday-Friday by MD Diagnostics at Old Walnut Springs School, 300 Sportsplex, in Dripping Springs from 10 a.m. until 6 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.