Kyle woman dies of COVID-19; County tallies 71 new cases Thursday

A Kyle woman in her 60s recently died from COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Thursday. 

Hays County has now recorded 357 coronavirus-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

The local health department also reported 242 additional recoveries, 71 new lab confirmed cases, three hospital discharges and three hospitalizations on Thursday.

The county considers 1,524 cases active — 172 fewer than Wednesday — and there have been 28,091 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 2,460 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,117 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Sept. 23, 2021.

Forty-four county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 41 who are unvaccinated and three who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 41 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 18 are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator, 12 are in the ICU and on a ventilator and 11 are non-ICU patients. Additionally, all three residents who are hospitalized and fully vaccinated are currently non-ICU patients. There have been 1,274 total hospitalizations as of Thursday. 

There have been 26,210 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 242 recoveries tallied Thursday.

The local health department has received 249,500 negative tests and there have been 277,591  tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Thursday’s report was approximately 7.85%. 

San Marcos recorded 23 new cases Thursday. The city currently has 461 active cases — 56 less than Wednesday — and there have been 9,576 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 9,083 total cases, including 494 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,038 total cases and currently has 255 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,354 total cases and has 58 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,425 total cases, including 137 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 780 total cases and has 44 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 429 total cases with 40 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 131 total cases, including seven active cases. Mountain City has amassed 75 total cases with three currently considered active. Maxwell has had 73 total cases, including 14 active cases. Uhland has had 52 total cases and has three active cases. Manchaca has recorded 44 total cases with seven currently considered active.

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

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 7,284 total cases tallied as of Thursday. There are currently 259 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 4,688 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 351 cases considered active; 4,411 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 228 with active cases; 3,790 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 191 cases considered active; 2,638 are between 50-59 years old, including 123 active cases; 2,333 are 9 years old or younger with 238 cases considered active; and 1,700 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 81 are considered active cases.

Eight-hundred-seven Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 43 active cases; and 440 are 80 and older with 10 cases currently active.

The local health department reported that 14,625 females and 13,466 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19. There are currently 791 active cases among females in the county and there are 733 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.1% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 36.9% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.9% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.3% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.3% are unknown or not specified, 3.3% are Black, 1% are Asian, 1% are listed as other and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 8,072 lab-confirmed cases Thursday. There have now been 3,318,001 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 62,033 fatalities as of Thursday. There are currently 11,113 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Thursday is 15.42%.

At Texas State University there have been 1,539 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,428 among students and 111 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 205 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 66 active COVID-19 cases as of Thursday — 58 among 8,000 SMCISD students and eight 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, 121,782 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Thursday, approximately 62.13% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. Additionally, 142,525 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 72.72% 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.

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.