4 Hays County residents die of COVID-19; County records 1,670 new cases Friday

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

A San Marcos man in his 90s; a San Marcos man in his 70s; a Kyle man in his 70s; and a San Marcos man in his 30s were among those who died from the coronavirus. Hays County has recorded 446 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset. 

An additional 1,670 lab-confirmed cases, 466 recoveries, 11 hospital discharges and nine hospitalizations were reported by the local health department in Friday’s report, which included information from Jan. 27-28. 

The county considers 7,033 cases active — 1,204 more than reported Wednesday — and there have been 46,597 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 5,509 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 28, 2022.

Twenty-eight county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 18 who are unvaccinated and 10 who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 18 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 14 are non-ICU patients, two are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and two are in the ICU and on a ventilator. Additionally, eight of the residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients and two are currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,565 total hospitalizations as of Friday.

The county has tallied 39,118 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 466 recoveries reported Friday.

The local health department has received 335,222 negative tests and there have been 381,819 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Friday’s report was approximately 25.45%. 

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 2,130 active cases — 303 than recorded Wednesday — and there have been 15,188 total cases as of Friday.

Kyle has recorded 15,130 total cases, including 2,371 active cases. Buda has tallied 9,001 total cases and currently has 1,467 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,615 total cases, including 453 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,937 total cases and has 216 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,271 total cases and has 158 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 675 total cases with 97 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 213 total cases including 26 active cases. Maxwell has had 216 total cases, including 63 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 122 total cases and has 19 active cases. Uhland has had 108 total cases with 19 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 79 total cases and eight active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 14 total cases, including two active cases. Creedmoor has recorded 17 total cases with seven considered active. 

Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 11,678 total cases tallied as of Friday. There are currently 1,451 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 7,673 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 1,239 with active cases; 7,628 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 1,211 cases considered active; 6,439 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 1,013 cases considered active; 4,278 are between 50-59 years old, including 597 active cases; 4,188 are 9 years old or younger with 826 cases considered active; and 2,767 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 435 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,334 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 188 active cases; and 612 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 73 cases currently active.

There have been 24,935 total coronavirus cases among females and 21,662 among males in Hays County. There are currently 3,911 active cases among females in the county and 3,122 active cases among males.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 38% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13% 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 30,892 lab-confirmed cases Friday. There have now been 5,100,655 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 77,780 fatalities as of Friday. There are currently 13,023 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Friday is 31.17%.

At Texas State University there have been 3,681 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 3,049 among students and 632 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 665 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported seven new COVID-19 cases Thursday — seven 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, MedPark Pharmacy, 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, 138,529 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 64.33% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Friday. The DSHS stated that 163,461 Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 75.92% of eligible residents. Additionally, the DSHS stated that 51,578 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Friday.