3 Hays County residents die of COVID-19; County reports 404 new cases Wednesday

Three Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Wednesday.

A Driftwood man who was over 100; a San Marcos woman in her 60s; and a Wimberley man in his 60s were among those who died from the coronavirus. The local health department has reported 462 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

Hays County reported an additional 947 recoveries, 404 lab-confirmed cases, eight hospital discharges and five hospitalizations on Wednesday, which included information from Feb. 8-9.  

The county considers 5,812 cases active — 546 fewer than reported Monday — and there have been 49,967 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 6,515 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Feb. 9, 2022.

Twenty-eight county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 16 who are unvaccinated and 12 who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 16 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, eight are non-ICU patients and four are in the ICU and not on a ventilator. Additionally, eight of the 12 residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients and four are currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,620 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

The county has tallied 44,239 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 947 new recoveries tallied Wednesday.

The local health department has received 344,842 negative tests and there have been 394,809 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Wednesday’s report was approximately 22.21%. 

As the pandemic continues, the local health department stresses the importance of taking precautions to limit the spread, including frequent hand washing, social distancing and wearing a mask indoors around large groups of people.

San Marcos has 1,552 active cases — 159 fewer than recorded Monday  — and there have been 16,178 total cases as of Wednesday.

Kyle has recorded 16,300 total cases, including 1,793 active cases. Buda has tallied 9,653 total cases and currently has 1,037 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,809 total cases, including 330 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 2,123 total cases and has 268 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,366 total cases and has 147 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 715 total cases with 74 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 231 total cases including 22 active cases. Maxwell has had 220 total cases, including 14 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 126 total cases and has eight active cases. Uhland has had 118 total cases with 11 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 81 total cases and four active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 17 total cases, including two active cases. Creedmoor has recorded 18 total cases with three considered active. 

Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases. Hays has reported four total cases, including one active case.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 12,235 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 980 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 8,192 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 817 with active cases; 8,163 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 849 cases considered active; 6,923 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 736 cases considered active; 4,614 are between 50-59 years old, including 514 active cases; 4,628 are 9 years old or younger with 736 cases considered active; and 3,053 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 433 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,476 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 194 active cases; and 683 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 85 cases currently active.

There have been 26,813 total coronavirus cases among females and 23,154 among males in Hays County. There are currently 2,897 active cases among females in the county and 2,389 active cases among males.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 48% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 38% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 14% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.3% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 20.6% are unknown or not specified, 4.9 % are listed as other, 3.7% are Black, 1.3% are Asian and 0.2% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 9,272 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 5,328,480 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 80,005 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 9,317 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Tuesday is 18.41%.

At Texas State University there have been 4,106 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 3,422 among students and 684 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 302 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported one new COVID-19 cases Wednesday — one among 8,200 students and none among 1,230 faculty and staff members. 

VACCINE AVAILABILITY

In Hays County, “no appointment needed” vaccine clinics are available. Vaccines usually offered Monday-Friday at Live Oak Community Clinic, 401 Broadway won’t be available until further notice, according to the Hays County Local Health Department. A walk-in Pfizer vaccine clinic takes place at Communicare in Kyle at 2810 Dacy Lane every Monday-Friday between 11-8 a.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, B&J Pharmacy, San Marcos Family Medicine and Sam’s Club Pharmacy. Visit https://www.vaccines.gov to see other locations across the county. Check with each location to see if an appointment is required or if walk-in is accepted.

According to the DSHS, 139,781 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 64.92% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Wednesday. The DSHS stated that 164,544 Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 76.42% of eligible residents. Additionally, the DSHS stated that 53,193 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Wednesday.