5 Hays County residents die of COVID-19, 152 new cases reported Wednesday

Five Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Wednesday.

A Buda woman in her 90s; a Buda woman in her 60s; a Uhland woman in her 60s; and two Kyle men in their 60s were among the five who died of COVID-19. The county has recorded 345 coronavirus-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

The local health department also reported 190 additional recoveries from COVID-19; 152 new lab-confirmed cases, five hospital discharges and four hospitalizations on Wednesday. 

The county considers 1,828 cases active — 43 fewer than Tuesday — and there have been 27,365 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 2,923 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,041 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Sept. 15, 2021.

Fifty-six county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 53 who are unvaccinated and three who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 53 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 23 are non-ICU patients, 16 are in the ICU and on a ventilator and 14 are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator. Additionally, one patient who is fully vaccinated is in the ICU and on a ventilator, one is in the ICU and not on a ventilator and one is a non-ICU patient. There have been 1,245 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday. 

There have been 25,192 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 190 recoveries tallied Wednesday.

The local health department has received 240,919 negative tests and there have been 268,284 tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Wednesday’s report was approximately 8.97%.

San Marcos recorded 59 new cases Wednesday. The city currently has 571 active cases — 10 fewer than Tuesday — and there have been 9,367 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 8,840 total cases, including 563 active cases. Buda has tallied 4,931 total cases and currently has 336 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,319 total cases and has 63 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,348 total cases, including 166 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 766 total cases and has 56 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 411 total cases with 44 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 126 total cases, including six active cases. Mountain City has amassed 75 total cases with four currently considered active. Maxwell has had 59 total cases, including three active cases. Uhland has had 49 total cases and has three active cases. Manchaca has recorded 44 total cases with 13 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 7,174 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 338 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 4,524 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 423 cases considered active; 4,301 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 275 with active cases; 3,707 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 249 cases considered active; 2,570 are between 50-59 years old, including 124 active cases; 2,211 are 9 years old or younger with 292 cases considered active; and 1,656 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 71 are considered active cases.

Seven-hundred-eighty-seven Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 42 active cases; and 433 are 85 and older with 14 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 14,229 females and 13,136 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 940 active cases among females in the county and there are 888 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.2% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 36.8% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 14% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.3% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.3% are unknown or not specified, 3.3% are Black, 1% are Asian, 1% are listed as other and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 20,201 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 3,236,353 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 59,608 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 12,817 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 14.72%.

At Texas State University there have been 1,379 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,285 among students and 94 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 247 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 45 active COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday — 39 among 8,000 SMCISD students and six 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, 118,789 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday, approximately 60.6%% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 140,520 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 71.69% 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.