2 Hays County residents die from COVID-19, County tallies 24 new cases Thursday

Two Hays County residents have died from COVID-19, marking the 58th and 59th coronavirus-related fatalities in the county.

The Hays County Local Health Department stated that the two residents who died were a San Marcos man in his 70s and an Austin woman in her 90s. 

The county also tallied 71 recoveries from COVID-19, 24 new lab-confirmed cases and two hospital discharges on Thursday

There are currently 781 active coronavirus cases — 49 fewer than Wednesday — and there have been 6,134 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus in Hays County on March 14. The county also reported that there have been 316 active cases over the last 21 days — a five-case increase since Wednesday.

The local health department states that there have been 749 probable cases spanning from April through early October.

There are currently six county residents hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 355 total hospitalizations following the fluctuation in hospitalizations recorded on Thursday. Some patients hospitalized by COVID-19 are in hospitals outside of Hays County but are included in the county’s numbers if they reside within the county, the local health department said.

Hays County has now had 5,294 residents recover from the disease following the 71 new recoveries tallied Thursday.

The local health department has received 31,279 negative tests and there have been 37,413 tests administered in Hays County.

San Marcos has seen the most coronavirus cases in the county but tallied less than 100 active cases on Thursday. The city currently has 81 active cases — 28 less than Wednesday — and has had 3,077 total cases as of Thursday.

Kyle now has 471 active cases and has had 1,816 total. Buda has recorded 820 total cases and currently has 142 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 113 total cases and has 44 active cases. Wimberley has tallied 110 total cases, including six active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has seven active cases and has had 68 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 45 total cases and has 15 active cases. Niederwald has had 32 total cases and there is one active case. Uhland has had 20 total cases and has four active cases. Mountain City has had 12 total cases and has five active cases.

Manchaca has had nine total cases and has three active cases. Maxwell has had nine total cases. Bear Creek has one active case and has had two total cases. Woodcreek has had one total case.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 2,294 total cases tallied as of Thursday.

Nine-hundred-eighty-six county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old. Seven-hundred-eleven people diagnosed with the coronavirus are 40-49 years old. Six-hundred-ninety-six residents fall in the 10-19-year-old age range. Five-hundred-sixty-six county residents diagnosed with COVID-19 are between 50-59 years old, 354 are 60-69 years old, 208 are 70-79 years old, 205 are 9 years old or younger and 114 are 80 and older.

According to the local health department, 3,206 females and 2,928 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown states 43.2% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 37.1% of county residents diagnosed with the disease don’t have a specified ethnicity and 19.7% are non-Hispanic.

By race, 61.4% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 35.8% are unknown or not specified, 2.3% are Black and 0.5% are Asian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Thursday that there have now been 809,808 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19, there have been 16,812 fatalities and there are 4,263 Texans currently hospitalized by the virus. An estimated 716,015 Texans have recovered from the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 735 total coronavirus cases since March 1 — 691 among students and 44 among faculty and staff — as of Thursday. There are currently 57 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

As San Marcos Consolidated ISD brought back students at roughly 50% capacity on Oct. 5, the district is reporting three total onsite cases among staff members and students.

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.