Hays County reports 18 new COVID-19 cases

The Hays County Local Health Department reported an additional 18 COVID-19 cases and reported the highest amount of current hospitalizations on Tuesday. 

There are currently 161 active virus cases and there have been 371 total cases within Hays County. According to county Epidemiologist Eric Schneider, two county residents were recently hospitalized because of the coronavirus, raising the active hospitalization count to eight. There have been 34 total hospitalizations caused by COVID-19. There have been five fatalities reported since the virus first arrived in Hays County on March 14. 

Schneider added that nine additional county residents have recovered from the disease, marking 205 recoveries. 

The local health department has received 3,914 negative tests and has 25 pending tests. 

Schneider continues to strongly recommend Hays County residents limit their travel to essential trips and to wear face covering in public, the county said. 

Two thirds of the new COVID-19 cases reported Tuesday originate in Kyle, which now has 95 active cases and has had 193 total cases. San Marcos reported five new virus cases, increasing its current case count to 30 and total count to 93. Buda added one additional cases, raising its active cases to 25 and total case count to 50. 

Wimberley has had 12 total cases and currently has five active cases. Dripping Springs has tallied nine total cases and has four active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had eight total cases and three active cases. Driftwood has had two total cases. Niederwald has two total cases. Bear Creek has had one case. Uhland has had one case.

According to the county, only 10 patients who tested positive for the illness had traveled before becoming sick, while 361 residents had no travel history before becoming symptomatic. 

Ninety-three residents diagnosed with COVID-19 fall in the 20-29 year old age range. 

Seventy-five patients who have been diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Sixty-eight residents fall in the 50-59-year-old age range. Fifty-three people diagnosed with the disease are 40-49 years old. Thirty-one residents are 60-69 years old, fourteen are 70-79 years old, nineteen are between 10-19 years old, ten are 80 and older and eight  are 9 years old or younger.

One-hundred-ninety-eight females and 173 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Tuesday that 66,568 Texans have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and there have been 1,698 fatalities. The DSHS estimates that 44,517 Texans have recovered from the disease. 

For most people, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. The coronavirus can cause severe illnesses, such as pneumonia and death,  especially for older adults and people with existing health problems.