COVID-19 numbers falling across county

For the fifth straight day, Hays County saw recoveries from COVID-19 continue to outpace new cases at the end of last week.

The Hays County Local Health Department recorded 80 additional recoveries from the coronavirus, 49 new lab-confirmed cases, two hospitalizations and two hospital discharges on Friday.

The county considers 1,068 cases active — 31 fewer than Thursday — and there have been 28,600 total cases since the first diagnosis of the virus within its boundaries on March 14, 2020. The county has tallied 1,996 COVID-19 cases over the past 21 days. There have been 3,168 probable cases spanning from April 2020 through Oct. 1, 2021.

The active cases in Wimberley have fallen in general over the last few weeks as well, but not as consistently as the county.

On Friday, Wimberley had 122 active cases, none of which were inside the Woodcreek City Lim its. That was the same as the previous day and three more than Wednesday; however, it is well down from the 193 active cases, a record high in the Wimberley Valley, on September 9.

On October 1, Wimberley ISD reported eight more cases of COVID-19 and 14 cases resolved, dropping the total active case count to 47. There have been 318 cases of COVID-19 reported by students or staff at WISD since the start of the school year in August.

Thirty-six Hays County residents were hospitalized by COVID-19 on Friday — 29 who are unvaccinated and seven who are fully vaccinated, according to the local health department. The county stated that of the 29 citizens hospitalized who are unvaccinated, 17 are in the ICU and on a ventilator, 10 are in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator and two are non-ICU patients. Additionally, five of the seven residents who are hospitalized and fully vaccinated are currently non-ICU patients, while one in the ICU and on a ventilator and one is in the ICU and not currently on a ventilator. There have been 1,293 total hospitalizations as of Friday.

The local health department has tallied 27,165 county residents who’ve recovered from the coronavirus following the 80 recoveries reported Friday.

Hays County has recorded 367 coronavirus-related fatalities since the pandemic’s onset including 22 in the Wimberley Valley, three of which lived within the Woodcreek City Limits.

The local health department has received 256,236 negative tests and there have been 284,836 tests administered in Hays County. The positivity rate for Friday’s report was approximately 5.9%. Following its weekly audit, the county removed 13 cases from its total case count, including four considered hospitalizations, for out of county or duplicate records on Friday.

San Marcos currently has 286 active cases — 18 less than Thursday — and there have been 9,676 total cases.

Kyle has recorded 9,260 total cases, including 358 active cases. Buda has tallied 5,128 total cases and currently has 163 active cases. Dripping Springs has amassed 1,371 total cases and has 39 active cases. Wimberley has counted 1,501 total cases, including 122 active cases. Austin, within Hays County, has had 802 total cases and has 37 active cases. Driftwood has recorded 442 total cases with 27 cases considered active. Niederwald has had 136 total cases, including 10 active cases. Mountain City has amassed 75 total cases. Maxwell has had 71 total cases, including 12 active cases. Uhland has had 55 total cases and has four active cases. Manchaca has recorded 53 total cases with nine currently considered active. Woodcreek has recorded 12 total, none of which are active.

Bear Creek has amassed eight total cases, including one active case. Creedmoor has recorded seven total cases. Hays has reported three total cases.