2 Kyle residents die of COVID-19, 217 new cases reported in weekly report

Two Kyle residents in their 80s recently died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported in its weekly report. 

Hays County has now recorded 403 COVID-19-related fatalities. 

The local health department also reported 217 new lab-confirmed cases, 180 additional recoveries, eight hospital discharges and seven hospitalizations on Monday, which included information between Nov. 8-15. 

The county considers 401 cases active — 21 more than last week’s report — and there have been 30,067 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 597 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,405 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Nov. 15, 2021.

Eleven county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 —  nine who are unvaccinated and two who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the nine residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, four are in the ICU and not on a ventilator, three are in the ICU and on a ventilator and two are non-ICU patients. Additionally, one of the residents who is hospitalized and vaccinated is currently a non-ICU patient and one is in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,355 total hospitalizations as of Monday. 

The county has tallied 29,263 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 180 recoveries reported Monday.

The local health department has received 281,618 negative tests and there have been 311,685 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for this week’s report was 6.1%. During its weekly audit, the county removed 14 cases from its total case count due to out-of-county or duplicate records.

San Marcos tallied 45 new cases between Nov. 8-15. The city currently has 106 active cases and there have been 9,915 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 9,785 total cases, including 133 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,529 total cases and currently has 99 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,422 total cases and has 13 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,645 total cases, including 27 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 848 total cases and has seven active cases. Driftwood has recorded 476 total cases with four cases considered active. Niederwald has had 143 total cases, including two active cases. Mountain City has amassed 81 total cases with two currently considered active. Maxwell has had 75 total cases, including four active cases. Manchaca has recorded 58 total cases. Uhland has had 60 total cases with three considered active. Woodcreek has recorded 12 total. 

Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases. Creedmoor has recorded seven total cases, including two active cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 7,521 total cases tallied as of Monday. There are currently 68 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 5,165 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 94 cases considered active; 4,688 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 62 with active cases; 4,063 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 51 cases considered active; 2,818 are between 50-59 years old, including 35 active cases; 2,656 are 9 years old or younger with 56 cases considered active; and 1,815 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 19 are considered active cases.

Eight-hundred-eighty-one Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 14 active cases; and 460 are 80 and older with two cases currently active.

There have been 15,635 total coronavirus cases among females and 14,432 among males in Hays County. There are currently 212 active cases among females in the county and 189 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 48.8% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.7% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.5% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 70.7% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 23.8% are unknown or not specified, 3.3% 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 an additional 17,113 lab-confirmed cases between Nov. 9-15. There have now been 3,546,954 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 71,633 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 2,653 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Monday is 8.88%.

At Texas State University there have been 1,896 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,753 among students and 143 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 58 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported four active COVID-19 cases as of Monday  — three among 1,230 faculty and staff members and one among 8,200 SMCISD students. 

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, 129,279 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Monday, approximately 60.04% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older. 

Additionally, 149,741 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 69.55% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 19,446 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 8:30-11:30 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, 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.