Hays County reports 3 COVID-19 fatalities, 166 new cases Wednesday

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

A San Marcos man in his 90s; a Kyle woman in her 80s; and a San Marcos man in his 60s were among those who died from the coronavirus. Hays County has recorded 479 COVID-19-related fatalities since the pandemic's onset. 

The local health department also reported an additional 189 recoveries, 166 lab-confirmed cases, two hospital discharges and one hospitalization on Wednesday, which included information from Feb. 23-24. 

The county considers 2,475 cases active — 26 fewer that reported Tuesday — and there have been 52,369 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 6,832 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Feb. 24, 2022.

Thirteen county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — seven who are vaccinated and six who are unvaccinated — according to the local health department. The county stated that of the seven residents hospitalized who are vaccinated, three are in the ICU and not on a ventilator, three are non-ICU patients and one is in the ICU on a ventilator. Additionally, four of the six residents who are hospitalized and unvaccinated are currently non-ICU patients, one is in the ICU and on a ventilator and one is in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,653 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

The county has tallied 49,415 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 189 additional recoveries tallied Wednesday.

The local health department has received 354,670 negative tests and there have been 407,039 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Wednesday’s report was approximately 30.4%

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 503 active cases — seven fewer than recorded Tuesday  — and there have been 16,657 total cases as of Wednesday.

Kyle has recorded 17,157 total cases, including 882 active cases. Buda has tallied 10,161 total cases and currently has 514 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,898 total cases, including 89 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 2,421 total cases and has 297 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,477 total cases and has 113 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 751 total cases with 36 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 244 total cases including 13 active cases. Maxwell has had 220 total cases. Mountain City has amassed 133 total cases and has seven active cases. Uhland has had 124 total cases with six considered active. Manchaca has recorded 95 total cases and 14 active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 17 total cases. 

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 12,629 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 418 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 8,551county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 399 cases considered active; 8,529 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 346 with active cases; 7,265 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 352 cases considered active; 4,847 are between 50-59 years old, including 247 active cases; 5,047 are 9 years old or younger with 426 cases considered active; and 3,210 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 163 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,566 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 86 active cases; and 725 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 38 cases currently active.

There have been 28,154 total coronavirus cases among females and 24,215 among males in Hays County. There are currently 1,387 active cases among females in the county and 1,088 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 and 0.3% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 2,686 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday. There have now been 5,417,898 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 82,887 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 4,832 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 7.23%.

At Texas State University there have been 4,295 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 3,592 among students and 703 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 120 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 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 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, 141,207 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 65.59% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Wednesday. The DSHS stated that 165,594 Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 76.9% of eligible residents. Additionally, the DSHS stated that 54,715 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Wednesday.