Buda man dies of COVID-19; County records 183 new cases Wednesday

A Buda man in his 80s recently died of COVID-19, marking Hays County’s 417th coronavirus-related fatality. 

An additional 183 lab-confirmed cases, 100 recoveries, four hospital discharges and two hospitalizations were reported by the Hays County Local Health Department on Wednesday. 

The county considers 4,254 cases active — 82 more than Tuesday — and there have been 35,442 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 4,708 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 4,127 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 5, 2022.

Eleven county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — six who are unvaccinated and five who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the six residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, three are in the ICU and on a ventilator, two are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and one is a non-ICU patient. Additionally, four of the residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are non-ICU patients and one is currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator. There have been 1,430 total hospitalizations as of Wednesday.

The county has tallied 30,771 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 100 recoveries reported Tuesday.

The local health department has received 310,602 negative tests and there have been 346,044 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Tuesday’s report was approximately 29.33%.

As coronavirus cases continue to increase in Hays County, 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 tallied 45 new cases on Wednesday. The city currently has 1,421 active cases — eight more than Tuesday — and there have been 11,614 total cases.

Kyle has recorded 11,462 total cases, including 1,292 active cases. Buda has tallied 6,687 total cases and currently has 898 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,953 total cases, including 241 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,616 total cases and has 155 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,018 total cases and has 122 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 537 total cases with 51 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 173 total cases including 24 active cases. Maxwell has had 110 total cases, including 24 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 96 total cases and has 13 active cases. Uhland has had 79 total cases with 11 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 66 total cases and two active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 13 total cases.

Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases. Creedmoor has recorded seven total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 9,004 total cases tallied as of Tuesday. There are currently 1,247 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.

According to the local health department, 5,861 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 535 cases considered active; 5,713 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 810 with active cases; 4,855 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 629 cases considered active; 3,313 are between 50-59 years old, including 394 active cases; 3,056 are 9 years old or younger with 259 cases considered active; and 2,105 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 231 are considered active cases.

The local health department has tallied 1,026 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 116 active cases; and 509 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 33 cases currently active.

There have been 18,618 total coronavirus cases among females and 16,824 among males in Hays County. There are currently 2,381 active cases among females in the county and 1,873 active cases among males.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 48.9% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 38% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 13.1% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 70.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 23.6% are unknown or not specified, 3.3% are Black, 1.4% are listed as other, 1% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported an additional 39,943 lab-confirmed cases Wednesday, There have now been 4,018,044 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 74,888 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 7,460 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 34.67%.

At Texas State University there have been 2,304 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 2,304 among students and 255 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 241 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 13 active COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday — seven among 8,200 students and six among 1,230 faculty and staff members. SMCISD returned from its winter break on Tuesday.

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 AVAILABILITY

“No appointment needed” vaccine clinics are available Monday-Friday at Christus Trinity Clinic, formerly Live Oak Community Clinic, 401 Broadway, in San Marcos between 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available at this clinic. With the New Year’s holiday, the clinic at Christus Trinity Clinic will be closed Friday.
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://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, 135,968 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Wednesday, approximately 63.14% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older. Additionally,159,819 county residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose — 74.09% of the eligible population. DSHS data states that 43,164 county residents have received a COVID-19 booster shot.