Two San Marcans die of COVID-19, county reports 565 new cases Monday

Two San Marcans have died of COVID-19, marking the 139th and 140th coronavirus-related fatalities. 

The Hays County Local Health Department reported that the San Marcans who died were a woman in her 80s and a man in his 50s.

The county also tallied 565 new lab-confirmed cases, 17 hospitalizations and 11 hospital discharges on Monday, which included information from over the weekend. 

There are currently 1,808 active COVID-19 cases and there have been 12,110 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus in the county on March 14. There have been 2,442 active cases over the last 21 days as if Monday. The county stated that there have been 1,449 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 11, 2021.

There are currently 42 county residents hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 608 total hospitalizations as of Monday. Some patients hospitalized by COVID-19 are in hospitals outside of Hays County but are included in the county’s numbers if they reside within the county, the local health department said. 

There have been 10,162 county residents who have recovered from the disease as of Monday. 

The local health department has received 84,559 negative tests and there have been 96,669 tests administered in Hays County. The county only reported limited information Monday due to technical issues. 

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported there have now been 1,730,312 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 29,933 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 13,397 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 1,400 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 1,256 among students and 144 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Monday. There are currently 86 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD’s is reporting 19 active COVID-19 cases — all among staff. None of the cases are considered onsite cases. 

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 AVAILABILITY 

According to a map provided by the DSHS, there are four providers in San Marcos who currently have received vaccine doses: HEB Pharmacy 455 (200 W. Hopkins St.); HEB Pharmacy 243 (641 E. Hopkins St.); Premier ER San Marcos (1509 N. Interstate 35); and San Marcos Family Medicine (2406 Hunter Road). According to the state, only groups 1A — frontline health care workers and residents of a long-term care facility — and 1B, which consists of those who are 65 years and older and people 16 years and older who have a chronic medical condition such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. Before visiting a hospital or clinic for a vaccine call ahead or visit their website.