2 San Marcos men die of COVID-19; County records 950 new cases Wednesday

Two San Marcos men recently died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Wednesday. 

A man in his 60s and a man in his 40s were among the San Marcos residents who died from the coronavirus. Hays County has recorded 442 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

An additional 1,010 recoveries, 950 lab-confirmed cases, 14 hospital discharges and 13 hospitalizations were reported by the local health department in Wednesday’s report, which included information from Jan. 25-26. 

The county considers 5,829 cases active — 65 fewer than reported Monday — and there have been 44,923 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 5,386 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 26, 2022.

Thirty county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 18 who are unvaccinated and 12 who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 18 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 13 are non-ICU patients, three are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and two are in the ICU and on a ventilator. Additionally, nine of the residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients and three are currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,556 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

The county has tallied 38,652 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 1,010 recoveries reported Wednesday.

The local health department has received 330,335 negative tests and there have been 375,258 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Wednesday’s report is approximately 29.33%. 

San Marcos has 1,827 active cases — 41 fewer than recorded Monday — and there have been 14,705 total cases as of Wednesday.

Kyle has recorded 14,592 total cases, including 1,990 active cases. Buda has tallied 8,651 total cases and currently has 1,197 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,489 total cases, including 341 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,857 total cases and has 152 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,223 total cases and has 120 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 647 total cases with 72 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 209 total cases including 22 active cases. Maxwell has had 208 total cases, including 58 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 118 total cases and has 16 active cases. Uhland has had 107 total cases with 19 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 77 total cases and eight active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 14 total cases, including two active cases. Creedmoor has recorded 15 total cases with five considered active. 

Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 11,322 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 1,212 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 7,414 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 1,062 with active cases; 7,343 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 992 cases considered active; 6,217 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 847 cases considered active; 4,118 are between 50-59 years old, including 472 active cases; 3,990 are 9 years old or younger with 687 cases considered active; and 2,638 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 336 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,287 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 160 active cases; and 594 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 61 cases currently active.

There have been 24,053 total coronavirus cases among females and 20,870 among males in Hays County. There are currently 3,329 active cases among females in the county and 2,500 active cases among males.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 38% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.3% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 20.6% are unknown or not specified, 4.9 % are listed as other, 3.7% are Black, 1.3% are Asian and 0.2% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 25,268 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 5,039,016 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 77,321 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 13,297 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 32.79%.

At Texas State University there have been 3,553 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 2,936 among students and 617 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 681 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 15 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday — 10 among 8,200 students and five among 1,230 faculty and staff members. 

VACCINE AVAILABILITY

In Hays County, “no appointment needed” vaccine clinics are available. Vaccines usually offered Monday-Friday at Live Oak Community Clinic, 401 Broadway won’t be available until further notice, according to the Hays County Local Health Department. A walk-in Pfizer vaccine clinic takes place at Communicare in Kyle at 2810 Dacy Lane every Monday-Friday between 11-8 a.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://www.vaccines.gov to see other locations across the county. Check with each location to see if an appointment is required or if walk-in is accepted.

According to the DSHS, 138,310 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 64.24% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Tuesday. The DSHS stated that 163,207  Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 75.8% of eligible residents.  Additionally, the DSHS stated that 51,156 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Wednesday.