2 San Marcans die of COVID-19; County records 84 new cases Monday

Two San Marcans died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Monday. 

The two San Marcos residents who died were a woman in her 80s and a man in his 60s. Hays County has now recorded 229 coronavirus-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. 

The local health department also tallied 84 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, six hospital discharges and three hospitalizations on Monday, which included information from over the weekend.

The county considers 728 cases active — 82 more than Friday  — and there have been 16,574 total cases. Hays County has tallied 741 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 1,832 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through March 8, 2021.

Eleven county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 758 total hospitalizations following the fluctuation between hospitalizations and hospital discharges reported on Monday. 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 15,617 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus with zero recoveries recorded Monday. 

The local health department has received 130,642 negative tests and there have been 147,216 tests administered in Hays County.

San Marcos recorded 31 new cases on Monday. The city currently has 202 active cases — a 29-case increase since Friday — and there have been 5,886 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 5,355 total cases, including 210 active cases. Buda has tallied 2,940 total cases and currently has 160 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 773 total cases and has 56 active cases. Wimberley has counted 662 total cases, including 40 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 36 active cases and has had 495 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 205 total cases and has six active cases. Niederwald has had 89 total cases and has one active case. Maxwell has had 56 total cases and has 11 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 42 cases and three active cases. Uhland has had 29 total cases and one active case. Manchaca has recorded 25 total cases and has two active cases.

Woodcreek has tallied seven total. Bear Creek has amassed four total cases. Creedmoor has had three total cases. 

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 4,700 total cases tallied Monday. 

According to the local health department, 2,542 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old; 2,443 are 10-19 years old; 2,251 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range; 1,663 are between 50-59 years old; 1,077 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old; and 1,060 are 9 years old or younger

Five-hundred-thirty-one residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, and 307 are 80 and older.

The local health department reported that 8,659 females and 7,915 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.1% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 34% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 16.8% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.6% are unknown or not specified, 2.7% are Black, 1% are listed as other, 1% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported there have now been 2,322,728 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 44,483 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 4,329 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 2,239 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 2,010 among students and 229 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Monday.  There are currently 86 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported four COVID-19 cases as of Monday . Two cases exist among staff members and two among 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.

COVID-19 VACCINE SIGNUP 

To pre-register for Hays County’s COVID-19 vaccine waitlist visit haysinformed.com/covid-19. The pre-registration list does not guarantee an appointment. The state is only allowing individuals in groups 1A — front-line healthcare workers,  residents at long-term care facilities and — 1B, individuals 65 or older, or 16 or older with a health condition that increases risk of severe COVID‑19 illness, and school and child care staff to register to be vaccinated. According to the DSHS, 31,087 county residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday, while 16,489  have been fully vaccinated. The DSHS estimates that Hays County has a population of 183,380 who are 16 years or older.