6 Hays County residents die of COVID-19; County reports 1,185 new cases 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; a San Marcos man in his 70s; a Wimberley man in his 70s; a Kyle man in his 70s; an Austin woman in her 70s; and a Kyle man in his 60s were among those who died from the coronavirus. Hays County has recorded 437 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

An additional 1,185 lab-confirmed cases, 1,076 recoveries, 34 hospitalizations and 30 hospital discharges were reported by the local health department in Monday’s report, which included information from Jan. 22-24. 

The county considers 5,894 cases active — 103 more than reported Friday — and there have been 43,973 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 5,167 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 24, 2022.

Thirty-one county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 20 who are unvaccinated and 11 who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 20 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 14 are non-ICU patients, four are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and two are in the ICU and on a ventilator. Additionally, seven of the residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients and four are currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,543 total hospitalizations as of Monday.

The county has tallied 37,642 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 1,076 recoveries reported Monday.

The local health department has received 328,046 negative tests and there have been 372,019 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Monday’s report is approximately 34.7%. The county removed 44 cases from its case count, including 10 hospitalizations, during its weekly data audit for out-of-county or duplicate records. 

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.

San Marcos has 1,868 active cases — six more than recorded Friday — and there have been 14,493 total cases as of Monday.

Kyle has recorded 14,210 total cases, including 1,975 active cases. Buda has tallied 8,400 total cases and currently has 1,217 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,468 total cases, including 301 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,839 total cases and has 163 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,189 total cases and has 114 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 634 total cases with 67 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 206 total cases including 24 active cases. Maxwell has had 207 total cases, including 67 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 115 total cases and has 14 active cases. Uhland has had 102 total cases with 22 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 71 total cases and three active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 14 total cases, including two active cases. 

Creedmoor has recorded 14 total cases with six 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 11,157  total cases tallied as of Monday. There are currently 1,308 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 7,216 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 1,048 with active cases; 7,190 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 989 cases considered active; 6,085 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 867 cases considered active; 4,044 are between 50-59 years old, including 493 active cases; 3,868 are 9 years old or younger with 646 cases considered active; and 2,565 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 319 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,261 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 164 active cases; and 587 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 60 cases currently active.

There have been 23,537 total coronavirus cases among females and 20,436 among males in Hays County. There are currently 3,407 active cases among females in the county and 2,487 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 33,779 lab-confirmed cases Monday. There have now been 4,978,176 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 31,312 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 13,371 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Monday is 34.06%.

At Texas State University there have been 3,316 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 2,762 among students and 554 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 662 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 27 new COVID-19 cases Monday — 20 among 8,200 students and seven 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, 138,122 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 64.15% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Monday. The DSHS stated that 163,015  Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 75.71% of eligible residents.  Additionally, the DSHS stated that 50,677 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Monday.