San Marcos man dies of COVID-19; County reports 28 new cases Friday

A San Marcos man in his 70s recently died of COVID-19, marking Hays County’s 389th coronavirus-related fatality. 

The Hays County Local Health Department also reported 59 additional recoveries from COVID-19, 28 new lab-confirmed cases and three hospital discharges on Friday. 

The county considers 489 cases active — 22 fewer than Thursday — and there have been 29,420 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 878 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,289 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Oct. 21, 2021.

Fifteen county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 11 who are unvaccinated and four who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 11 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, eight are in the ICU and on a ventilator, two are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and one is a non-ICU patient. Additionally, two residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator, one is in the ICU and on a ventilator and one is a non-ICU patient. There have been 1,333 total hospitalizations as of Friday. 

The county has tallied 28,541 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 59 recoveries reported Friday.

The local health department has received 269,754 negative tests and there have been 299,174 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Friday’s report was 3.77%

San Marcos recorded seven new cases Friday. The city currently has 103 active cases — five fewer than Thursday — and there have been 9,802 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 9,558 total cases, including 180 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,343 total cases and currently has 123 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,398 total cases and has 15 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,589 total cases, including 45 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 835 total cases and has 11 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 464 total cases with six cases considered active. Niederwald has had 141 total cases, including three active cases. Mountain City has amassed 76 total cases. Maxwell has had 71 total cases. Manchaca has recorded 58 total cases with two active cases. Uhland has had 56 total cases with one considered active. Woodcreek has recorded 12 total. 

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

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 7,429 total cases tallied as of Friday. There are currently 74 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 5,018 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 101 cases considered active; 4,589 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 72 with active cases; 3,982  people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 66 cases considered active; 2,764 are between 50-59 years old, including 44 active cases; 2,546 are 9 years old or younger with 81 cases considered active; and 1,777 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 33 are considered active cases.

Eight-hundred-fifty-nine Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 15 active cases; and 456 are 80 and older with three cases currently active.

There have been 15,304 total coronavirus cases among females and 14,116 among males in Hays County. There are currently 253 active cases among females in the county and 236 active cases among males. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 48.9% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.6% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.6% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 70.2% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 24.3% 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 3,216 lab-confirmed cases Friday. There have now been 3,481,769 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 68,573 fatalities as of Friday. There are currently 4,643 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Friday is 8.88%.

At Texas State University there have been 1,752 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,621 among students and 131 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 61 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 15 active COVID-19 cases as of Friday  — 13 among 8,000 SMCISD students and two 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, 126,212 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday, approximately 64.39% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. 
Additionally, 145,789 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 74.38% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 10,274 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.