3 San Marcos residents die of COVID-19; County reports 36 new cases Wednesday

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

Two San Marcos women in their 90s and a San Marcos woman in her 80s were among those who died from the coronavirus. Hays County has recorded 486 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

The local health department also tallied an additional 619 recoveries, 36 lab-confirmed cases and six hospitalizations and six hospital discharges on Wednesday, which included information from March 1-2. 

The county considers 1,388 cases active — 586 fewer than reported Monday — and there have been 52,686 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 6,885 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through March 2, 2022.

Eight county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — four who are unvaccinated and four who are vaccinated — according to the local health department. The county stated that of the four residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, two are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and two are non-ICU patients. Additionally, two of the four residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator, one is in the ICU on a ventilator and one is a non-ICU patient. There have been 1,666 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

The county has tallied 50,686 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 586 additional recoveries tallied Wednesday.

The local health department has received 358,829 negative tests and there have been 410,351 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Wednesday’s report was approximately 3.09%

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. The local health department now accepts at-home COVID-19 test results to be uploaded online at https://arcg.is/1G4P1r. The county said all information remains confidential and no identifying information is collected. Additionally, at-home test results reported won’t be included in the official case count but will provide “a better understanding of community spread,” the county added.  

San Marcos has 308 active cases — 90 fewer than recorded Monday  — and there have been 16,741 total cases as of Wednesday.

Kyle has recorded 17,278 total cases, including 539 active cases. Buda has tallied 10,193 total cases and currently has 255 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,911 total cases, including 44 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 2,448 total cases and has 119 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,501 total cases and has 67 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 759 total cases with 23 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 244 total cases including six active cases. Maxwell has had 220 total cases. Mountain City has amassed 133 total cases and has three active cases. Uhland has had 130 total cases with 11 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 96 total cases and 11 active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 18 total cases with one currently active case

Bear Creek has amassed nine total cases with one active case. Hays has reported four total cases. Creedmoor has recorded one total case. 

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 12,674 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 228 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 8,559 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 235 cases considered active; 8,580 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 228 with active cases; 7,308 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 174 cases considered active; 5,094 are 9 years old or younger with 267 cases considered active; 4,874 are between 50-59 years old, including 141 active cases; and 3,235 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 87 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,583 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 51 active cases; and 735 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 19 cases currently active.

There have been 28,321 total coronavirus cases among females and 24,365 among males in Hays County. There are currently 750 active cases among females in the county and 638 active cases among males.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 47% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 38% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 15% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 67.5% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 20.5% are unknown or not specified, 6.5 % are listed as other, 3.6% are Black, 1.5% are Asian, 0.3% are American Indian and 0.1% are Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 2,085 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 5,437,242 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 83,899 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 3,376 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 4.81%.

At Texas State University there have been 4,331 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 3,627 among students and 704 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 72 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

VACCINE AVAILABILITY

In Hays County, “no appointment needed” vaccine clinics are available. Vaccines usually offered Monday-Friday at Christus Trinity Clinic (formerly Live Oak), 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 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 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, 141,606 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 65.77% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Wednesday. The DSHS stated that 165,926 Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 77.06% of eligible residents. Additionally, the DSHS stated that 55,167 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Wednesday.