3 Hays County residents die of COVID-19, 36 new cases recorded Wednesday

The Hays County Local Health Department reported three new COVID-related fatalities on Wednesday, raising the coronavirus-related death toll to 224. 

The county residents who died were a San Marcos man in his 80s; a Driftwood man in his 60s; and a Kyle man in his 50s. 

The local health department also tallied 36 new lab-confirmed cases, five hospital discharges and one hospitalization on Wednesday. 

The county considers 592 cases active — 33 more than Tuesday  — and there have been 16,435 total cases. The county has tallied 794 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 1,809 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through March 3, 2021.

Sixteen county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 753 total hospitalizations following the fluctuation between hospitalizations and hospital discharges reported on Wednesday. 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 Hays County, the local health department said. 

There have been 15,619 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus with the zero recoveries recorded Wednesday. 

The local health department has received 125,900 negative tests and there have been 142,335 tests administered in Hays County. 

San Marcos currently has 160 active cases — a seven-case increase since Tuesday — and there have been 5,840 total cases. 

Kyle has recorded 5,325 total cases, including 179 active cases. Buda has tallied 2,908 total cases and currently has 129 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 753 total cases and has 35 active cases. Wimberley has counted 659 total cases, including 37 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has 34 active cases and has had 493 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 204 total cases and has five active cases. Niederwald has had 89 total cases and has one active case. Maxwell has had 55 total cases and has 10 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 40 cases and one active case. Uhland has had 29 total cases and one active case. Manchaca has recorded 23 total cases.

Woodcreek has tallied seven total. Bear Creek has amassed four total cases. Creedmoor has had three total cases. 

The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 4,667 total cases tallied Wednesday. 

According to the local health department, 2,519 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old; 2,422 are 10-19 years old; 2,227 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range; 1,656 are between 50-59 years old; 1,070 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old; and 1,048 are 9 years old or younger

Five-hundred-twenty-three residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, and 303 are 80 and older.

The local health department reported that 8,567 females and 7,868 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.15% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 33.92% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 16.93% don’t have a specified ethnicity.

By race, 69.6% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.6% are unknown or not specified, 2.7% are Black, 1% are listed as other, 1% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported there have now been 2,304,081 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 43,563 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 5,508 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.

At Texas State University there have been 2,198 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 1,976 among students and 222 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Wednesday.  There are currently 66 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.

San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported 2 COVID-19 cases for the week of Feb. 15-21. Both cases exist among 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.

COVID-19 VACCINE SIGNUP 

To pre-register for Hays County’s COVID-19 vaccine waitlist visit haysinformed.com/covid-19. The pre-registration list does not guarantee an appointment. The state is only allowing individuals in groups 1A — front-line healthcare workers and residents at long-term care facilities — and 1B, individuals 65 or older, or 16 or older with a health condition that increases risk of severe COVID‑19 illness to register to be vaccinated. According to the DSHS, 26,924 county residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 13,741 have been fully vaccinated. The DSHS estimates that Hays County has a population of 183,380 who are 16 years or older.