Hays County reports 27 COVID-19 recoveries, five new cases Friday

The Hays County Local Health Department tallied 27 recoveries from COVID-19, five new lab-confirmed cases and one hospitalization on Friday. 

There are currently 1,277 active coronavirus cases — 22 fewer than Thursday — and there have been 5,951 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus in Hays County on March 14. 

The county also reported that there have been 383 active cases over the last 21 days — a three-case decrease since Thursday. 

There are currently nine county residents hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 345 total hospitalizations with the newly reported hospitalization. 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 the county, the local health department said. 

Hays County has now had 4,619 residents recover from the disease following the 27 new recoveries tallied Friday.

The county has recorded 55 coronavirus-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries. 

The local health department has received 27,207 negative tests and there have been 33,158tests administered in Hays County.

San Marcos has tallied the most coronavirus cases in the county but is no longer the city with the most active cases. The city currently has 328 active cases — 16 less than Thursday — and has had 3,010 total cases as of Friday.

Kyle now has 630 active cases and has had 1,768 total. Buda has recorded 788 total cases and currently has 212 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 102 total cases and has 52 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 98 total cases, including 13 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 14 active cases and has had 62 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 39 total cases and has 11 active cases. Niederwald has had 32 total cases and there is one active case. Uhland has had 20 total cases and has seven active cases. Mountain City has had 11 total cases and has four active cases. 

Manchaca has had nine total cases and has three active cases. Maxwell has had nine total cases. Bear Creek has one active and has had two total cases. Woodcreek has had one total case.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 2,246 total cases tallied as of Friday. 

Nine-hundred-fifty-seven county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Six-hundred-ninety-four people diagnosed with the coronavirus are 40-49 years old. Six-hundred-seventy-one residents fall in the 10-19-year-old age range. Five-hundred-forty-three county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are between 50-59 years old, 338 are 60-69 years old, 199 are 70-79 years old, 198 are 9 years old or younger and 105 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 3,110 females and 2,841 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states 43.4% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.7% of county residents diagnosed with the disease don’t have a specified ethnicity and 18.8% are non-Hispanic.

By race, 60.7% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 36.5% are unknown or not specified, 2.2% are Black and 0.5% are Asian. 

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Friday that there have now been 752,501 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19, there have been 15,823 fatalities and there are 3,190 Texans currently hospitalized by the virus. An estimated 668,515 Texans have recovered from the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 649 total coronavirus cases since March 1 — 608 among students and 649 among faculty and staff — as of press time Friday. There are currently 71 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard. 

As San Marcos Consolidated ISD plans to bring some students back to in-person learning on Oct. 5, the district is reporting one total active case 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.