7 Hays County residents die of COVID-19, 744 new cases reported Wednesday

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

A Wimberley woman over 100; a Buda man in his 90s; a Wimberley woman in her 80s; a Dripping Springs man in his 70s; a Wimberley man in his 60s; a Buda woman in her 50s; and a San Marcos man in his 50s are among those who died from the coronavirus. The local health department has reported 454 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

Hays County reported an additional 2,069 recoveries, 744 lab-confirmed cases, 20 hospital discharges and 15 hospitalizations on Wednesday, which included information from Feb. 1-2.  

The county considers 7,134 cases active — 1,314 fewer than reported Monday — and there have been 48,603 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 5,850 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Feb. 2, 2022.

Thirty county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 20 who are unvaccinated and 10 who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 20 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 13 are non-ICU patients, five are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and two are in the ICU and on a ventilator. Additionally, nine of the 10 residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients and one is currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,592 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

The county has tallied 41,015 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 2,069 new recoveries tallied Wednesday.

The local health department has received 340,330 negative tests and there have been 388,933 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Wednesday’s report was approximately 28.66%. 

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 2,166 active cases — 416 fewer than recorded Monday — and there have been 15,815 total cases as of Wednesday.

Kyle has recorded 15,861 total cases, including 2,432 active cases. Buda has tallied 9,344 total cases and currently has 1,421 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,722 total cases, including 438 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 2,042 total cases and has 275 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,313 total cases and has 167 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 704 total cases with 106 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 225 total cases including 28 active cases. Maxwell has had 216 total cases, including 48 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 125 total cases and has 17 active cases. Uhland has had 113 total cases with 20 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 79 total cases and eight active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 15 total cases, including one active case. Creedmoor has recorded 18 total cases with seven 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 12,014 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 1,373 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 7,979 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 1,200 with active cases; 7,977 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 1,217 cases considered active; 6,722 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 992 cases considered active; 4,484 are between 50-59 years old, including 657 active cases; 4,449 are 9 years old or younger with 878 cases considered active; and 2,921 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 505 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,415 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 226 active cases; and 642 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 86 cases currently active.

There have been 26,055 total coronavirus cases among females and 22,548 among males in Hays County. There are currently 3,963 active cases among females in the county and 3,171 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 21,082 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 5,231,844 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 78,658 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 11,997 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Tuesday is 26.81%.

At Texas State University there have been 3,971 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 3,305 among students and 666 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 563 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 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, 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, 139,187 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 64.64% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Wednesday. The DSHS stated that 164,096 Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 76.21% of eligible residents. Additionally, the DSHS stated that 52,594 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Wednesday.