Hays County reports 114 COVID-19 recoveries, 62 new cases Wednesday

The Hays County Local Health Department reported 114 additional recoveries from COVID-19, 62 new lab-confirmed cases, seven hospitalizations and six hospital discharges on Wednesday. 

There are currently 539 active cases — 52 fewer than Tuesday — and there have been 16,182 total cases since the first COVID-19 diagnosis in Hays County on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 1,205 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 1,775 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Feb. 24, 2021.

Twenty-six county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 726 total hospitalizations following the fluctuation between hospitalizations and hospital discharges reported on 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 now been 15,434 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus with the 114 recoveries recorded Wednesday. 

Hays County has reported 209 COVID-19-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the illness within its boundaries. 

The local health department has received 120,547 negative tests and there have been 136,729 tests administered in Hays County. 

San Marcos currently has 176 active cases — a 39-case increase since Tuesday — and there have been 5,754 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 5,268 total cases, including 187 active cases. Buda has tallied 2,854 total cases and currently has 81 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 736 total cases and has 25 active cases. Wimberley has counted 636 total cases, including 38 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 20 active cases and has had 478 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 202 total cases and has four active cases. Niederwald has had 89 total cases and has one active case. Maxwell has had 56 total cases and has five active cases. Mountain City has amassed 40 cases and one active case. Uhland has had 29 total cases. Manchaca has recorded 23 total cases.

Woodcreek has one active case and has tallied seven total. Bear Creek has amassed four total cases. Creedmoor has had three total cases. 

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 4,607 total cases tallied Wednesday. 

According to the local health department, 2,481 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old; 2,372 are 10-19 years old; 2,190 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range; 1,638 are between 50-59 years old; 1,050 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old; and 1,033 are 9 years old or younger

Five-hundred-sixteen residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, and 295 are 80 and older.

The local health department reported that 8,434 females and 7,748 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.2% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 33.8% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 17.1% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.3% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.7% are unknown or not specified, 2.8% are Black, 1.1% are listed as other, 1% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported there have now been 2,264,763 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 41,980 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 6,738 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 2,150 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 1,930 among students and 220 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Wednesday.  There are currently 24 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported two COVID-19 cases for the week of Feb. 15-19. Both cases exist among 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.

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 only allowing individuals in groups 1A — front-line healthcare workers and residents at long-term care facilities — and 1B, individuals 65 or older, or 16 or older with a health condition that increases risk of severe COVID‑19 illness to register to be vaccinated. According to the DSHS, 22,697 county residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 8,476 have been fully vaccinated. The DSHS estimates that Hays County has a population of 183,380 who are 16 years or older.