2 Hays County residents die of COVID-19, 256 new cases tallied Wednesday

The Hays County Local Health Department recorded its youngest COVID-19 related fatality among two deaths reported Wednesday. 

The local health department stated that an 18-year-old San Marcos woman and a 60-year-old Buda woman recently died from COVID-19. Hays County has now seen 268 coronavirus-related fatalities since the onset of the pandemic. 

The local health department also reported 256 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 54 recoveries, seven hospital discharges and five hospitalizations on Wednesday, which included information from July 24-26.

The county considers 915 cases active — 200 more than Monday. Hays County’s active case count has risen from 177 on July 2 to the 915 tallied on Wednesday. There have been 20,312 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. Hays County has tallied 1,128 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 2,262 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through July 28, 2021.

Twenty-nine county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 973 total hospitalizations. 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 Hays County, the local health department said.

There have been 19,129 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus following the 54 recoveries recorded Wednesday.

The local health department has received 190,400 negative tests and there have been 210,712 tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Wednesday's report was 7.85%.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has conducted random testing for positive cases of the Delta variant and there have been no positive Delta cases in Hays County. But officials warn that the Delta variant may be present in Hays County despite no official positive result.   

San Marcos recorded 65 new cases between Saturday and Wednesday. The city currently has 226 active cases — 42 more than Monday — and there have been 7,075 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 6,484 total cases, including 291 active cases. Buda has tallied 3,660 total cases and currently has 220 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,056 total cases and has 37 active cases. Wimberley has counted 886 total cases, including 80 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 596 total cases and has 27 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 273 total cases with 19 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 104 total cases, including three active cases.  Maxwell has had 55 total cases with two active cases. Mountain City has amassed 50 total cases with two currently considered active. Uhland has had 40 total cases and has one active case. Manchaca has recorded 28 total cases and four active cases

Woodcreek has one active case and has recorded 11 total. Creedmoor has recorded six total cases, including two active cases. Bear Creek has amassed five total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 5,648 total cases tallied Wednesday. There are currently 198 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County. 

According to the local health department, 3,144 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 130 cases considered active; 3,144 are 30-39 years old with 204 with active cases; 2,763 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 137 cases considered active; 1,998 are between 50-59 years old, including 74 active cases; 1,368 are 9 years old or younger with 75 cases considered active; and 1,265 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 57 are considered active cases.

Six-hundred-thirty--one Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 30 active cases; and 352 are 80 and older with 10 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 10,610 females and 9,702 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 475 active cases among females in the county and there are 440 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.2% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 35.4% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 15.4% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.3% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.4% are unknown or not specified, 3.1% are Black, 1.1% are listed as other, 1% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported over 10,000 new cases Wednesday for the first time since February 9.  There have now been 2,621,979 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 51,949 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 5,292 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 15.48%.

At Texas State University there have been 2,935 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 2,637 among students and 298 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 20 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

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 SIGN-UP

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, 106,810 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Wednesday, approximately 54.45% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. 

Additionally, 125,682 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 64.12% of the eligible population.

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

Every Thursday and Friday, a Pfizer vaccine clinic takes place at Communicare in Kyle at 2810 Dacy Lane from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m..

Pfizer vaccines will be available on Thursday, July 29 at three locations from 1-8 p.m. — Redwood Baptist Church, 2050 Poplar St. in San Marcos; Scudder Primary School, 400 Green Acres Dr. in Wimberley; and Old Walnut Springs School, 300 Sportsplex Dr. in Dripping Springs.