5 Hays County residents die of COVID-19; 357 new cases reported Tuesday

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

An Austin woman in her 80s; a San Marcos man in his 70s; a San Marcos woman in her 60s; a San Marcos man in his 50s; and a Kyle woman in her 40s were among those who died from the coronavirus. Hays County has recorded 476 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic's onset. 

The local health department also reported an additional 1,215 recoveries, 357 lab-confirmed cases, 18 hospital discharges and 11 hospitalizations on Tuesday, which included information from Feb. 19-22. 

The county considers 2,501 cases active — 863 fewer reported Friday — and there have been 52,203 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 6,825 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Feb. 22, 2022.

Fourteen county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — eight who are vaccinated and six who are unvaccinated — according to the local health department. The county stated that of the eight residents hospitalized who are vaccinated, four are in the ICU and not on a ventilator, three are non-ICU patients and one is in the ICU on a ventilator. Additionally, four of the six residents who are hospitalized and unvaccinated are currently non-ICU patients, one is in the ICU and not on a ventilator and one is in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,652 total hospitalizations as of Tuesday.

The county has tallied 49,226 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 1,215 additional recoveries tallied Tuesday.

The local health department has received 354,290 negative tests and there have been 406,493 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Tuesday’s report was approximately 14.59%

As the pandemic continues, the local health department stresses the importance of taking precautions to limit the spread, including frequent hand washing, social distancing and wearing a mask indoors around large groups of people. The local health department now accepts at-home COVID-19 test results to be uploaded online at https://arcg.is/1G4P1r. The county said all information remains confidential and no identifying information is collected. Additionally, at-home test results reported won’t be included in the official case count but will provide “a better understanding of community spread,” the county added.  

San Marcos has 510 active cases — 273 fewer than recorded Friday  — and there have been 16,628 total cases as of Tuesday.

Kyle has recorded 17,119 total cases, including 946 active cases. Buda has tallied 10,089 total cases and currently has 474 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,896 total cases, including 92 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 2,411 total cases and has 299 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,468 total cases and has 107 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 748 total cases with 34 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 243 total cases including 12 active cases. Maxwell has had 220 total cases. Mountain City has amassed 133 total cases and has seven active cases. Uhland has had 122 total cases with five considered active. Manchaca has recorded 95 total cases and 14 active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 17 total cases. 

Bear Creek has amassed nine total cases with one active case. Hays has reported four total cases, including one active case. Creedmoor has recorded one total case. 

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 12,610 total cases tallied as of Tuesday. There are currently 428 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 8,526 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 402 cases considered active; 8,504 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 348 with active cases; 7,247 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 366 cases considered active; 4,825 are between 50-59 years old, including 251 active cases; 5,006 are 9 years old or younger with 406 cases considered active; and 3,203 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 171 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,561 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 87 active cases; and 721 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 42 cases currently active.

There have been 28,059 total coronavirus cases among females and 24,144 among males in Hays County. There are currently 1,400 active cases among females in the county and 1,101 active cases among males.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 47% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 38% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 15% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 67.5% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 20.5% are unknown or not specified, 6.5 % are listed as other, 3.6% are Black, 1.5% are Asian and 0.3% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 4,084 lab-confirmed cases Tuesday. There have now been 5,415,212 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 82,627 fatalities as of Tuesday. There are currently 4,970 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Tuesday is 7.4%.
At Texas State University there have been 4,287 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 3,586 among students and 701 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 132 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

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 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.

COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in San Marcos at multiple CVS pharmacies, multiple Walgreens pharmacies, both H-E-B pharmacies, 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, 141,118 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 65.54% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Tuesday. The DSHS stated that 165,523 Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 76.788% of eligible residents. Additionally, the DSHS stated that 54,572 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Tuesday.