Hays County records 26 COVID-19 recoveries, 25 new cases Wednesday

Hays County saw recoveries from COVID-19 outpace new cases for a second straight day on Wednesday. 

The Hays County Local Health Department recorded 26 additional recoveries from the coronavirus, 25 new lab-confirmed cases and three hospitalizations on Wednesday. 

The county considers 637 cases active —  one fewer than Tuesday — and there have been 17,150 total cases since the first recorded coronavirus case within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. Hays County has tallied 559 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 1,890 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through March 31, 2021.

Eleven county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 791 total hospitalizations with the three hospitalizations reported Wednesday. Some patients hospitalized by COVID-19 are in hospitals outside of Hays County but are included in the county’s numbers if they reside within Hays County, the local health department said.

There have been 16,547 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus with the 26 recoveries recorded Wednesday. 

Hays County has recorded 236 coronavirus-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries. 

The local health department has received 143,213 negative tests and there have been 160,363 tests administered in Hays County. 

San Marcos recorded four new cases Wednesday. The city currently has 141 active cases — a six-case decrease since Tuesday — and there have been 6,099 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 5,532 total cases, including 121 active cases. Buda has tallied 3,029 total cases and currently has 53 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 815 total cases and has 25 active cases. Wimberley has counted 683 total cases, including nine active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 11 active cases and has had 510 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 211 total cases and has two active cases. Niederwald has had 90 total cases and currently has one active case. Maxwell has had 62 total cases. Mountain City has amassed 45 cases and three active cases. Uhland has had 32 total cases and one active case. Manchaca has recorded 25 total cases.

Woodcreek has tallied seven total. Bear Creek has amassed four total cases. Creedmoor and Hays have each recorded three total cases. 

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 4,865 total cases tallied Wednesday. 

According to the local health department, 2,632 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old; 2,546 are 10-19 years old; 2,317 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range; 1,715 are between 50-59 years old; 1,110 are 9 years old or younger; and 1,110 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old.

Five-hundred-thirty-eight residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, and 317 are 80 and older.

The local health department reported that 8,974 females and 8,176 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.1% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 34.4% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 16.5% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 70.2% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.4% are unknown or not specified, 2.6% are Black, 1% are listed as other, 0.7% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported there have been 2,391,860 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 47,278 fatalities as of Tuesday. There are currently 3,161 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 2,445 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 2,193 among students and 252 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Wednesday. There are currently 75 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported four COVID-19 cases prior to this week’s spring break. Two cases exist among staff members and two among students.

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 pre-register for Hays County’s COVID-19 vaccine waitlist visit haysinformed.com/covid-19. The pre-registration list does not guarantee an appointment. The state is allowing all adults to sign up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, which went into effect Monday. According to the DSHS, 55,620 county residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Wednesday, while 30,114 have been fully vaccinated. The DSHS estimates that Hays County has a population of 183,380 who are 16 years or older.