A Buda woman in her 80s has died of COVID-19, the Hays County Local Health Department reported Wednesday.
Hays County has now recorded 236 coronavirus-related fatalities since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020.
The local health department also recorded 17 additional recoveries from COVID-19, 12 new lab-confirmed cases, nine hospital discharges and one hospitalization on Wednesday.
The county considers 365 cases active — six fewer than Tuesday — and there have been 16,957 total cases since the first recorded coronavirus case within its boundaries. Hays County has tallied 560 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 1,870 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through March 24, 2021.
Nine county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 and there have been 782 total hospitalizations with the fluctuation between hospitalizations and hospital discharges reported 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 16,356 county residents who have recovered from the coronavirus with the 17 recoveries recorded Wednesday.
The local health department has received 139,318 negative tests and there have been 156,275 tests administered in Hays County.
San Marcos recorded two new cases Wednesday. The city currently has 137 active cases — one fewer than Tuesday — and there have been 6,023 total cases.
Kyle has recorded 5,466 total cases, including 105 active cases. Buda has tallied 3,005 total cases and currently has 60 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 804 total cases and has 30 active cases. Wimberley has counted 679 total cases, including 15 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, currently has seven active cases and has had 502 total cases. Driftwood has recorded 209 total cases and has three active cases. Niederwald has had 90 total cases and currently has one active case. Maxwell has had 62 total cases and has three active cases. Mountain City has amassed 43 cases and one active case. Uhland has had 32 total cases and three active cases. Manchaca has recorded 25 total cases.
Woodcreek has tallied seven total. Bear Creek has amassed four total cases. Creedmoor and Hays have each recorded three total cases.
The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 4,804 total cases tallied Wednesday.
According to the local health department, 2,603 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old; 2,518 are 10-19 years old; 2,290 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range; 1,700 are between 50-59 years old; 1,097 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old; and 1,095 are 9 years old or younger.
Five-hundred-thirty-six residents who've contracted COVID-19 are 70-79 years old, and 314 are 80 and older.
The local health department reported that 8,866 females and 8,091 males in Hays County have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
The county’s ethnic breakdown stated 49.1% of county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are Hispanic, while 34.3% of county residents diagnosed with the disease are non-Hispanic and 16.6% don’t have a specified ethnicity.
By race, 69.8% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 25.4% 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 been 2,374,938 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 46,736 fatalities as of Wednesday. There are currently 3,461 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS.
At Texas State University there have been 2,383 total coronavirus cases since March 1, 2020 — 2,090 among students and 248 among faculty and staff — as of press time on Wednesday. There are currently 59 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.
San Marcos Consolidated ISD reported four COVID-19 cases prior to this week’s spring break. Two cases exist among staff members and two among 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.
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 allowing individuals in groups 1A — front-line healthcare workers, 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; school and child care staff; and group 1C, which consists of those ages 50-64, to register to be vaccinated. The DSHS will expand vaccine eligibility to all Texas adults beginning Monday, March 29. According to the DSHS, 49,358 county residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Wednesday, while 24,784 have been fully vaccinated. The DSHS estimates that Hays County has a population of 183,380 who are 16 years or older.
