Two Hays County residents recently died of COVID-19, marking the 470th and 471st coronavirus-related fatalities.
The Hays County Local Health Department reported that a Kyle man in his 70s and a San Marcos man in his 60s were among those who died from COVID-19.
The county also reported an additional 548 lab-confirmed cases, nine hospital discharges and four hospitalizations on Friday, which included information from Feb. 17-18.
The local health department considers 3,364 cases active — 546 more than reported Wednesday — and there have been 51,902 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. There have been 6,706 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Feb. 18, 2022.
Twenty-one county residents are currently hospitalized by COVID-19 — 14 who are unvaccinated and seven who are vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 14 residents hospitalized who are unvaccinated, seven are non-ICU patients, five are in the ICU and not on a ventilator, and two are in the ICU on a ventilator. Additionally, four of the seven residents who are hospitalized and vaccinated are currently in the ICU and not on a ventilator and three are non-ICU patients. There have been 1,641 total hospitalizations as of Friday.
The county has tallied 48,067 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus with no additional recoveries tallied Friday.
The local health department has received 352,144 negative tests and there have been 404,046 tests administered in the county. The positivity rate for Friday’s report was approximately 15.24%
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 783 active cases — 123 more than recorded Wednesday — and there have been 16,575 total cases as of Friday.
Kyle has recorded 16,996 total cases, including 1,156 active cases. Buda has tallied 10,015 total cases and currently has 677 active cases. Wimberley has counted 2,883 total cases, including 161 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 2,394 total cases and has 350 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 1,460 total cases and has 147 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 745 total cases with 41 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 240 total cases including 15 active cases. Maxwell has had 220 total cases, including four active cases. Mountain City has amassed 130 total cases and has five active cases. Uhland has had 119 total cases with six considered active. Manchaca has recorded 94 total cases and 15 active cases. Woodcreek has recorded 17 total cases, including two active cases.
Bear Creek has amassed nine total cases with one active case. Hays has reported four total cases, including one active case. Creedmoor has recorded one total case.
The 20-29-age-range has recorded the most COVID-19 cases with 12,582 total cases tallied as of Friday. There are currently 587 active cases among 20-29 year olds in Hays County.
According to the local health department, 8,462 county residents who’ve contracted COVID-19 have been between 10-19 years old, including 497 cases considered active; 8,460 county residents diagnosed with the disease are between 30-39 years old with 489 with active cases; 7,215 people fall in the 40-49-year-old age range with 500 cases considered active; 4,802 are between 50-59 years old, including 327 active cases; 4,934 are 9 years old or younger with 492 cases considered active; and 3,189 county residents diagnosed with the coronavirus are 60-69 years old and 272 are considered active cases.
The local health department has tallied 1,542 Hays County residents who are 70-79 years old and have contracted COVID-19, including 128 active cases; and 716 cases among residents who are 80 and older with 72 cases currently active.
There have been 27,889 total coronavirus cases among females and 24,013 among males in Hays County. There are currently 1,871 active cases among females in the county and 1,493 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, 67.9% of county residents who’ve had COVID-19 are white, 20% are unknown or not specified, 6.6 % 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 8,367 lab-confirmed cases Friday. There have now been 5,399,524 Texans diagnosed with COVID-19 and 82,084 fatalities as of Friday. There are currently 6,071 Texans hospitalized by the coronavirus, according to the DSHS. The statewide positivity rate as of Friday is 11.07%.
At Texas State University there have been 4,235 coronavirus cases recorded since Aug. 1, 2021 — 3,542 among students and 693 among faculty and staff — at the time of publication. There are currently 188 active cases, according to the university’s dashboard.
San Marcos Consolidated ISD didn’t report a new COVID-19 case Friday.
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, 140,794 county residents are considered fully vaccinated — 65.39% of 215,309 eligible residents who are 5 years or older as of Friday. The DSHS stated that 165,256 Hays County residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose — 76.75% of eligible residents. Additionally, the DSHS stated that 54,249 Hays County citizens have received an additional vaccine dose as of Friday.
