Kyle woman dies of COVID-19, 72 new cases tallied Thursday

A Kyle woman in her 80s recently died of COVID-19, marking Hays County’s 375th coronavirus-related fatality.

The Hays County Local Health Department also tallied 72 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 70 additional recoveries, three hospitalizations and three hospitalizations on Thursday.

The county considers 879 cases active — one more than Wednesday — and there have been 28,929 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 1,477 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,216 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Oct. 7, 2021.

Forty county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 33 who are unvaccinated and seven who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 33 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 13 are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator, 12 are in the ICU and on a ventilator and eight are non-ICU patients. Additionally, five of the seven residents who are hospitalized and fully vaccinated are currently non-ICU patients, while one is in the ICU and on a ventilator and one is in the ICU and currently not on a ventilator. There have been 1,319 total hospitalizations as of Thursday. 

The local health department has tallied 27,674 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 70 recoveries reported Thursday.

The local health department has received 260,605 negative tests and there have been 289,534 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Thursday’s report was approximately 8.14%

San Marcos recorded eight new COVID-19 cases Thursday. The city currently has 200 active cases — eight fewer than Wednesday — and there have been 9,739 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 9,360 total cases, including 277 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,207 total cases and currently has 170 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,383 total cases and has 29 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,536 total cases, including 112 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 824 total cases and has 43 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 456 total cases with 29 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 137 total cases, including six active cases. Mountain City has amassed 76 total cases with one active case. Maxwell has had 71 total cases. Uhland has had 55 total cases and has three active cases. Manchaca has recorded 55 total cases with 11 currently considered active. Woodcreek has recorded 12 total. 

Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases. Creedmoor has recorded seven total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 7,358 total cases tallied as of Thursday. There are currently 84 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 4,924 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 249 cases considered active; 4,520 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 116 with active cases; 3,908  people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 120 cases considered active; 2,720 are between 50-59 years old, including 85 active cases; 2,463 are 9 years old or younger with 138 cases considered active; and 1,742 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 45 are considered active cases.

Eight-hundred-forty-two Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 34 active cases; and 452 are 80 and older with eight cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 15,050 females and 13,879 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 444 active cases among females in the county and there are 435 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.3% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.7% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.7% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 24.8% are unknown or not specified, 3.3% 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 an additional 5,935 lab-confirmed cases Thursday. There have now been 3,421,910 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 65,690 fatalities as of Thursday. There are currently 7,117 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Thursday is 9.7%.

At Texas State University there have been 1,655 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,535 among students and 119 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 77 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 18 active COVID-19 cases as of Thursday — 11 among 8,000 SMCISD students and seven 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 SIGNUP

To make an appointment for a vaccine shot, visit https://www.haysinformed.com. From there you can use the new online scheduler to find a time and location that works best for you. According to the DSHS, 124,267 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Wednesday, approximately 63.4% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 144,335 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 73.64% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 6,950 county residents have received a COVID-19 booster shot.

“No appointment needed” vaccine clinics are available Monday-Friday at Live Oak Community Clinic, 401 Broadway, in San Marcos between 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available at this clinic. 

A walk-in Pfizer vaccine clinic takes place at Communicare in Kyle at 2810 Dacy Lane every Monday-Friday between 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.

A drive-thru vaccine clinic will soon be offered Monday-Friday by MD Diagnostics at Old Walnut Springs School, 300 Sportsplex, in Dripping Springs from 10 a.m. until 6 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://hayscountytx.com/covid-19-information-for-hays-county-residents/ to see other locations across the county. Check with each location to see if an appointment is required or if walk-in is accepted.