Buda man dies of COVID-19; County reports 40 new cases Friday

A Buda man in his 30s recently died of COVID-19, marking Hays County’s 385th coronavirus-related fatality. 

The Hays County Local Health Department also reported 48 additional recoveries from COVID-19, 40 new lab-confirmed cases, three hospitalizations and two hospital discharges on Friday. 

The county considers 652 cases active — nine fewer than Thursday — and there have been 29,194 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 1,090 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,262 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Oct. 15, 2021.

Twenty county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 18 who are unvaccinated and two who are vaccinated, according to the local health department.  The county stated that of the 18 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, eight are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator, six are in the ICU and on a ventilator, and four are non-ICU patients. Additionally, both residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are currently non-ICU patients. There have been 1,327 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday. 

The county has tallied 28,157 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 48 recoveries reported Friday.

The local health department has received 265,550 negative tests and there have been 294,744 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Friday’s report was approximately 4.13%. Following its weekly audit, 32 cases were removed from Hays County’s total case count due to either out of county or duplicate records. 

San Marcos currently has 134 active cases — two less than Thursday — and there have been 9,754 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 9,479 total cases, including 219 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,284 total cases and currently has 154 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,392 total cases and has 23 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,566 total cases, including 66 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 829 total cases and has 27 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 461 total cases with 19 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 139 total cases, including three active cases. Mountain City has amassed 76 total cases with one active case. Maxwell has had 71 total cases. Uhland has had 56 total cases with one considered active. Manchaca has recorded 58 total cases with five active cases. 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 7,393 total cases tallied as of Friday. There are currently 82 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 4,979 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 169 cases considered active; 4,546 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 84 with active cases; 3,953  people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 80 cases considered active; 2,746 are between 50-59 years old, including 64 active cases; 2,509 are 9 years old or younger with 106 cases considered active; and 1,763 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 42 are considered active cases.

Eight-hundred-fifty Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 20 active cases; and 455 are 80 and older with five cases currently active.

There are currently 343 active cases among females in the county and there are 309 active cases among males in Hays County. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 48.9% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.4% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.7% 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 4,513 lab-confirmed cases Friday. There have now been 3,461,663 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 67,477 fatalities as of Friday. There are currently 5,606 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 1,710 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,584 among students and 126 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 62 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 18 active COVID-19 cases as of Friday  — 11 among 8,000 SMCISD students and seven 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, 125,379 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Friday, approximately 63.97% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. 

Additionally, 145,141 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 74.05% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 8,630 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.