6 Hays County residents die of COVID-19, 190 new cases reported Monday

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

A San Marcos man in his 80s; Kyle man in his 80s; a Wimberley woman in her 80s; a Buda woman in her 40s; and a Dripping Springs man in his 40s were among those who died from the coronavirus. Hays County has now recorded 364 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

The local health department also reported 267 additional recoveries, 190 new lab confirmed cases, 13 hospitalizations and 13  hospital discharges on Monday, which included information from over the weekend.

The county considers 1,475 cases active — 83 fewer than Friday — and there have been 28,365 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 2,608 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,138 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Sept. 27, 2021.

Forty-three county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 38 who are unvaccinated and five who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 38 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 19 are in the ICU and on a ventilator, 12 are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator and seven are non-ICU patients. Additionally, four of the five residents who are hospitalized and fully vaccinated are currently non-ICU patients, while one is in the ICU and on a ventilator. There have been 1,291 total hospitalizations as of Monday. 

There have been 26,526 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 267 recoveries tallied Monday.

The local health department has received 252,863 negative tests and there have been 281,228  tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Monday’s report was approximately 7.41%. 

San Marcos tallied 54 new cases between Saturday and Monday. The city currently has 442 active cases — 24 less than Friday — and there have been 9,636 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 9,173 total cases, including 476 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,079 total cases and currently has 232 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,364 total cases and has 54 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,466 total cases, including 152 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 795 total cases and has 43 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 437 total cases with 42 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 133 total cases, including seven active cases. Mountain City has amassed 75 total cases. Maxwell has had 73 total cases, including 12 active cases. Uhland has had 53 total cases and has three active cases. Manchaca has recorded 51 total cases with 11 currently considered active.

Woodcreek has recorded 12 total. Creedmoor has recorded seven total cases. Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases, including one active case. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 7,312 total cases tallied as of Monday. There are currently 232 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 4,764 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 354 cases considered active; 4,448 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 225 with active cases; 3,827 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 180 cases considered active; 2,659 are between 50-59 years old, including 108 active cases; 2,375 are 9 years old or younger with 235 cases considered active; and 1,716 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 85 are considered active cases.

Eight-hundred-nineteen Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 45 active cases; and 445 are 80 and older with 11 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 14,754 females and 13,611 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 757 active cases among females in the county and there are 718 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.1% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.1% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.9% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.7% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 24.8% 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 4,853 lab-confirmed cases Monday. There have now been 3,347,504 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 62,980 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 9,719 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Monday is 11.79%.

At Texas State University there have been 1,567 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,455 among students and 112 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 197 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 66 active COVID-19 cases as of Monday — 58 among 8,000 SMCISD students and eight 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.

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, 122,325 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday, approximately 62.41% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 142,862 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 72.88% 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.

A drive-thru vaccine clinic will soon be offered Monday-Friday by MD Diagnostics at Old Walnut Springs School, 300 Sportsplex, in Dripping Springs from 10 a.m. until 6 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.