Kyle woman dies of COVID-19; County reports 70 new cases Thursday

A Kyle woman in her 70s recently died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Thursday. 

Hays County has recorded 276 coronavirus-related fatalities since the onset of the pandemic.

The local health department recorded an additional 70 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases, 65 recoveries, eight hospital discharges and seven hospitalizations on Thursday. 

The county considers 1,674 cases active — four more than Wednesday — and there have been 21,412 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. Hays County has tallied 1,996 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 2,381 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Aug. 5, 2021.

Forty-four county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 1,019 total hospitalizations. 

There have been 19,462 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus following the 65 recoveries recorded Thursday.

The local health department has received 197,084 negative tests and there have been 218,496 tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Thursday's report was 9.74%. 

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 16 new cases Thursday. The city currently has 453 active cases — five more than Wednesday — and there have been 7,392 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 6,852 total cases, including 557 active cases. Buda has tallied 3,922 total cases and currently has 405 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,096 total cases and has 63 active cases. Wimberley has counted 927 total cases, including 106 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 623 total cases and has 43 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 285 total cases with 24 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 107 total cases, including five active cases. Maxwell has had 60 total cases with seven active cases. Mountain City has amassed 53 total cases with three currently considered active. Uhland has had 41 total cases and has two active cases. Manchaca has recorded 29 total cases and four active cases

Woodcreek has one active case and has recorded 11 total. Creedmoor has recorded six total cases, including two active cases. Bear Creek has amassed five total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 5,921 total cases tallied as of Thursday. There are currently 391 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 3,296 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 243 cases considered active; 3,337 are 30-39 years old with 327 with active cases; 2,910 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 230 cases considered active; 2,095 are between 50-59 years old, including 143 active cases; 1,483 are 9 years old or younger with 159 cases considered active; and 1,337 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 105 are considered active cases.

Six-hundred-sixty-six Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 54 active cases; and 367 are 80 and older with 22 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 11,202 females and 10,210 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 880 active cases among females in the county and there are 794 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.3% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 35.6% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 15.1% 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 10,912 lab-confirmed cases Thursday. There have now been 2,697,312 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 52,297 fatalities as of Thursday. There are currently 8,130 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Thursday is 18.07%.

At Texas State University there have been 22 coronavirus cases recorded since August 1 — 15 among students and seven among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 53 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, 108,068 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Thursday, approximately 55.14% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 128,790 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 65.71% 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. 

Every Thursday and Friday, a Pfizer vaccine clinic takes place at Communicare in Kyle at 2810 Dacy Lane from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Additionally, Pfizer vaccines will be offered at San Marcos Premium Outlets — 3943 Interstate 35 — next to James Avery across the parking lot from Victoria's Secret on August 6, 7 and 8 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.