Two Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19 as cases continue to rise, according to the Hays County Local Health Department.
The county residents who died include a Buda woman in her 60s and Kyle man in his 50s. Hays County has recorded 416 coronavirus-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset.
An additional 1,722 new COVID-19 cases, 241 recoveries, 10 hospital discharges and eight hospitalizations were reported by the local health department Tuesday, which included information from Jan. 1-4.
The county considers 4,172 cases active — 1,479 more than reported Friday — and there have been 35,259 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 4,530 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,998 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Jan. 4, 2022.
Thirteen county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — eight who are unvaccinated and five who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the eight residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, three are in the ICU and on a ventilator, three are in the ICU and not on a ventilator and two are non-ICU patients. Additionally, three 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 1,428 total hospitalizations as of Tuesday.
The county has tallied 30,671 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with the 241 recoveries reported Tuesday.
Since the pandemic’s onset, 416 Hays County residents have died of COVID-19.
The local health department has received 310,161 negative tests and there have been 345,420 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Wednesday’s report was approximately 26.3%.
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 608 new cases between Jan. 1-4. The city currently has 1,413 active cases — 541 more than Tuesday — and there have been 11,569 total cases.
Kyle has recorded 11,403 total cases, including 1,273 active cases. Buda has tallied 6,653 total cases and currently has 875 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,940 total cases, including 232 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,602 total cases and has 144 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,004 total cases and has 112 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 536 total cases with 875 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 173 total cases including 24 active cases. Maxwell has had 110 total cases, including 26 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 95 total cases and has 12 active cases. Uhland has had 78 total cases with 10 considered active. Manchaca has recorded 65 total cases and one active case. 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 8,963 total cases tallied as of Wednesday. There are currently 1,243 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.
According to the local health department, 5,847 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 10-19 years old, including 531 cases considered active; 5,679 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 794 with active cases; 4,825 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 382 cases considered active; 3,294 are between 50-59 years old, including 382 active cases; 3,041 are 9 years old or younger with 218 cases considered active; and 2,090 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 104 are considered active cases.
The local health department has tallied 1,014 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 104 active cases; and 506 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 30 cases currently active.
There have been 18,514 total coronavirus cases among females and 16,745among males in Hays County. There are currently 2,326 active cases among females in the county and 1,846 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, 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 44,431 lab-confirmed cases Tuesday, There have now been 3,978,101 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 74,796 fatalities as of Tuesday. There are currently 7,460 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Wednesday is 34.4%.
At Texas State University there have been 2,162 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 1,941 among students and 221 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 100 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, 135,759 Hays County residents have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Wednesday, approximately 63.05% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older. Additionally,159,530 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.
