Hays County reports 77 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday

The Hays County Local Health Department reported 77 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 44 recoveries, seven hospital discharges and six hospitalizations on Friday. 

The county states that 2,679 COVID-19 cases are considered active — a 53-case increase since Thursday — and there have been 13,915 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus in the county on March 14, 2020. There have been 3,397 active cases over the last 21 days as of Friday. The county stated that there have been 1,620 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 21, 2021.

There are currently 43 county residents hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 660 total hospitalizations as of Friday. 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. 

With the 44 additional recoveries tallied Friday, 11,047 county residents have now recovered from the disease.

The local health department has received 96,893 negative tests and there have been 110,808 tests administered in Hays County.

Epidemiologist Ian Harris said the best way to slow the rapid community spread of the virus is to be vigilant.

“By staying home if not necessary to go out, avoiding crowds of people, wearing masks and frequent hand-washing, we can protect those in our community who are most at risk from COVID-19,” he said.

San Marcos recorded 13 new cases Friday. There are currently 845 active cases — six more than Thursday —  and there have been 5,272 total cases. 

Kyle has tallied 4,321 total cases, including 851 active cases. Buda has recorded 2,446 total cases and currently has 541 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 626 total cases and has 155 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 494 total cases, including 137 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 86 active cases and has had 371 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 168 total cases and has 28 active cases. Niederwald has had 84 total cases and has 25 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 36 cases and four currently active cases. Maxwell has had 34 total cases and has 18 active cases. Uhland has had 28 total cases and currently has two active cases. Manchaca has recorded 19 total cases and has two active cases.

Creedmoor has had five total cases, including two active cases. Bear Creek has tallied four total cases. Woodcreek has had four total cases and one active case.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 4,107 total cases tallied as of Friday.

According to the local health department, 2,191 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old, 1,935 are 10-19 years old, 1,879 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range and 1,404 are between 50-59 years old.

Eight-hundred-seventy-eight county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old, 829 are 9 years old or younger, 444 are 70-79 years old and 248 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 7,279 females and 6,636 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states 48.6% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 32.6% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 18.8% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 1.3% are unknown or not specified, 2.6% are Black, 0.9% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported there have now been 1,935,747 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 33,707 fatalities as of Friday. There are currently 13,564 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 1,728 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 1,542 among students and 186 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Friday.  There are currently 241 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 25 active COVID-19 cases — 16 among staff and nine among students — for the week of Jan. 11. Nine cases are considered onsite cases. 

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 AVAILABILITY

According to a map provided by the DSHS, there are four providers in San Marcos who currently have received vaccine doses: HEB Pharmacy 455 (200 W. Hopkins St.); HEB Pharmacy 243 (641 E. Hopkins St.); Premier ER San Marcos (1509 N. Interstate 35); and San Marcos Family Medicine (2406 Hunter Road). But, according to the DSHS and San Marcos Family Medicine, all providers in San Marcos allocated vaccines doses have run out as of Friday.