Hays County reports 577 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday

The Hays County Local Health Department reported an additional 577 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 183 recoveries, 11 hospital discharges and five hospitalizations on Wednesday. 

The county considers 6,284 cases active — 394 more than reported Tuesday — and there have been 41,685 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 4,500 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 19, 2022.

Twenty-seven county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 14 who are unvaccinated and 13 who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 14 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, nine are non-ICU patients, three are in the ICU and on a ventilator and two are in the ICU and not on a ventilator.  Additionally, 10 of the residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients and three are currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,502 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

The county has tallied 34,791 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus.

There have been 427 COVID-19-related fatalities recorded in Hays County as of Wednesday

The local health department has received 323,837 negative tests and there have been 365,522 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Wednesday’s report is approximately 33.2%.

As coronavirus cases continue to increase in Hays County, 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 2,181 active cases — 116 more than recorded Tuesday — and there have been 13,754 total cases as of Wednesday.

Kyle has recorded 13,476 total cases, including 2,013 active cases. Buda has tallied 7,963 total cases and currently has 1,275 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,295 total cases, including 343 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,771 total cases and has 156 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,149 total cases and has 131 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 602 total cases with 65 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 198 total cases including 25 active cases. Maxwell has had 170 total cases, including 60 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 108 total cases and has 12 active cases. Uhland has had 93 total cases with 14 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 71 total cases and five active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 13 total cases. 

Creedmoor has recorded 11 total cases with four 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 10,697 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 1,704 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 6,823 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 1,118 with active cases; 6,790 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 937 cases considered active; 5,761 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 906 cases considered active; 3,852 are between 50-59 years old, including 543 active cases; 3,585 are 9 years old or younger with 535 cases considered active; and 2,431 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 330 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,189 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 165 active cases; and 557 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 46 cases currently active.

There have been 22,223 total coronavirus cases among females and 19,462 among males in Hays County. There are currently 3,623 active cases among females in the county and 2,661 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 47,966 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 4,749,127 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 31,312 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 12,905 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Friday is 33.7%.

At Texas State University there have been 3,084 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 2,597 among students and 487 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 507 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 24 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday — 19 among 8,200 students and five 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 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, 137,604 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 63.91% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Wednesday. The DSHS stated that 162,237 Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 75.36% of eligible residents.  Additionally, the DSHS stated that 49,255 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Wednesday.