Kyle woman dies of COVID-19; County reports 191 new cases Wednesday

A Kyle woman in her 80s recently died of COVID-19, marking the 293rd coronavirus-related fatality in Hays County. 

The Hays County Local Health Department also reported 191 new lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 166 recoveries, 11 hospital discharges and eight hospitalizations on Wednesday. 

Hays County considers 2,161 cases active — 24 more than Tuesday — and there have been 23,478 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. Hays County has tallied 3,194 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 2,659 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Aug. 18, 2021.

Sixty-two county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 48 who are unvaccinated and 13 who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 48 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 21 are not in the ICU, 18 are in the ICU and on a ventilator and 10 are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator. Additionally, 12 of the county residents hospitalized who are vaccinated are not in the ICU, while one is in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,113 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

There have been 21,024 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus with the 209 recoveries tallied Wednesday.

The local health department has received 210,989 negative tests and there have been 234,467 tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Wednesday's report was approximately 8.5%. 

The Texas Department of State Health Services has conducted random testing for positive cases of the Delta variant and there has been one confirmed positive Delta case detected in Hays County. The county, however, stated that the case is no longer considered active.

San Marcos recorded 84 new cases Wednesday. The city currently has 730 active cases — 25 more than Tuesday — and there have been 8,096 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 7,632 total cases, including 804 active cases. Buda has tallied 4,240 total cases and currently has 339 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,157 total cases and has 62 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,034 total cases, including 116 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 667 total cases and has 50 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 318 total cases with 35 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 111 total cases, including five active cases. Mountain City has amassed 66 total cases with 13 currently considered active. Maxwell has had 56 total cases with one active case. Uhland has had 42 total cases. Manchaca has recorded 29 total cases.

Woodcreek has one active case and has recorded 12 total. Creedmoor has recorded eight total cases, including two active cases. Bear Creek has amassed seven total cases with two cases considered active. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 6,400 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 503 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 3,695 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 379 with active cases; 3,641 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 353 cases considered active; 3,193 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 300 cases considered active; 2,299 are between 50-59 years old, including 216 active cases; 1,687 are 9 years old or younger with 216 cases considered active; and 1,452 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 118 are considered active cases.

Seven-hundred-sixteen Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 53 active cases; and 395 are 80 and older with 24 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 12,247 females and 11,231 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 1,083 active cases among females in the county and there are 1,078 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.5% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 35.8% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 14.7% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.3% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.5% are unknown or not specified, 3.1% are Black, 1% are listed as other, 1% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 20,058 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 2,855,024 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 53,370 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 12,402 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 18.42%.

At Texas State University there have been 137 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 101 among students and 36 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 84 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

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 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, 110,850 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday, approximately 56.56% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 133,916 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 68.32% of the eligible population.

“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 walk-in Pfizer clinic will take place on Saturday, Aug. 21 at ACC Hays Campus — 1200 Kohlers Crossing, Building 1000 in Kyle — from 9 a.m. through 11 a.m.