2 Hays County residents die of COVID-19; 384 new cases reported Wednesday

Two Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19, marking the 329th and 330th coronavirus-related fatalities. 

The Hays County Local Health Department reported that the two county residents who died from COVID-19 were a San Marcos woman in her 80s and Kyle man in his 60s. 

The HCLHD also recorded 384 new lab-confirmed coronavirus cases, which included cases reported from Curative between Sept. 5-7. There were also an additional 191 recoveries, three hospitalizations and hospital discharges reported Wednesday. 

Hays County considers 1,906 cases active — 191 fewer than Tuesday — and there have been 26,377 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 2,934 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 2,900 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Sept. 8, 2021.

Fifty-five county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 47 who are unvaccinated and eight who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 47 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 15 are in the ICU and on a ventilator, 17 are non-ICU patients and 15 are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator. Additionally, six of the county residents hospitalized who are vaccinated are non-ICU patients, one is in the ICU and on a ventilator and one is in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,204 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday. 

There have been 23,950 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 547 recoveries tallied Wednesday.

The local health department has received 232,547 negative tests and there have been 258,925 tests administered in Hays County. 

San Marcos recorded 106 new cases Tuesday. The city currently has 647 active cases — 35 fewer than Wednesday — and there have been 9,051 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 8,534 total cases, including 540 active cases. Buda has tallied 4,752 total cases and currently has 342 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,285 total cases and has 79 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,263 total cases, including 184 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 742 total cases and has 27 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 384 total cases with 50 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 123 total cases, including six active cases. Mountain City has amassed 72 total cases with five currently considered active. Maxwell has had 59 total cases, including three active cases. Uhland has had 46 total cases and has four active cases. Manchaca has recorded 36 total cases with six currently considered active.

Woodcreek has recorded 12 total. Creedmoor has recorded eight total cases. Bear Creek has amassed seven total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 6,992 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 358 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 4,298 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 466 cases considered active; 4,154 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 292 with active cases; 3,573 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 246 cases considered active; 2,498 are between 50-59 years old, including 123 active cases; 2,068 are 9 years old or younger with 286 cases considered active; and 1,607 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 87 are considered active cases.

Seven-hundred-sixty-one Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 30 active cases; and 426 are 80 and older with 18 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 13,723 females and 12,654 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 1,010 active cases among females in the county and there are 896 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.4% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 36.5% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 14.1% 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 25,184 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 3,133,016 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 57,524 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 13,520 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 14.37%.

At Texas State University there have been 844 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 778 among students and 66 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 215 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 77 active COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday — 72 among 8,000 SMCISD students and five 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, 117,056 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Monday, approximately 59.72% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 139,387 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 71.12% 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.