Hays County reports 6 COVID-19 fatalities in weekly report

Six Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported in its weekly report. 

Among those who died from COVID-19, two were San Marcos residents, one was from Kyle, one was a Dripping Springs resident and one was from Wimberley. Hays County has now recorded 399 coronavirus-related fatalities. 

The local health department also reported 313 additional recoveries, 196 new lab-confirmed cases, nine hospital discharges and five hospitalizations on Monday, which included information between Oct. 26-Nov. 1. 

The county considers 569 cases active — 138 fewer than Oct. 25 — and there have been 29,694 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 790 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,339 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Nov. 1, 2021.

Nine county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 —  eight who are unvaccinated and one who is vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the eight residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, six are in the ICU and on a ventilator, one is in the ICU and not on a ventilator and one is a non-ICU patient. Additionally, the lone resident who is hospitalized and vaccinated is currently a non-ICU patient. There have been 1,341 total hospitalizations as of Monday. 

The county has tallied 28,864 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 313 recoveries reported Monday.

The local health department has received 274,778 negative tests and there have been 304,472 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for this week’s report was 5.07%. During its weekly audit, the county removed 15 cases from its total case count due to out-of-county or duplicate records.

San Marcos tallied 30 new cases between Oct. 26 and Nov. 1. The city currently has 91 active cases — 21 fewer than Oct. 25 — and there have been 9,834 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 9,650 total cases, including 138 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,430 total cases and currently has 119 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,411 total cases and has 15 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,618 total cases, including 41 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 843 total cases and has 12 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 472 total cases with nine cases considered active. Niederwald has had 141 total cases, including one active case. Mountain City has amassed 80 total cases with four currently considered active. Maxwell has had 71 total cases. Manchaca has recorded 58 total cases with two active cases. Uhland has had 57 total cases with one considered active. 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 7,461 total cases tallied as of Monday. There are currently 61 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 5,073 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 81 cases considered active; 4,630 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 76 with active cases; 4,018 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 56 cases considered active; 2,787 are between 50-59 years old, including 32 active cases; 2,607 are 9 years old or younger with 86 cases considered active; and 1,798 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 28 are considered active cases.

Eight-hundred-sixty-four Hays County residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, including 10 active cases; and 456 are 80 and older with one case currently active.

There have been 15,434 total coronavirus cases among females and 14,260 among males in Hays County. There are currently 226 active cases among males in the county and 205 active cases among females. 

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 48.8% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.7% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.5% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 70.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 23.9% 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 23,637 lab-confirmed cases between Oct. 26-Nov. 1. There have now been 3,515,803 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 70,129 fatalities as of Monday. There are currently 3,333 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Monday is 8.88%.

At Texas State University there have been 1,805 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1 — 1,624 among students and 134 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 47 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 11 active COVID-19 cases as of Monday  — seven among 8,200 SMCISD students and four 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, 127,660 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Tuesday, approximately 65.13% of 195,999 eligible residents who are 12 years or older. 

Additionally, 146,913 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 74.95% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 14,415 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.

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.