First confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hays County

A 44-year-old Hays County resident tested presumptively positive for COVID-19 on Friday and on Monday two more cases were reported.

The first resident traveled to multiple cities on the United States West Coast where they are believed to have been exposed to the illness there.

The resident reported their symptoms to the Hays County Local Health Department upon arriving back to Central Texas. The patient was admitted to a local hospital and later released. The county said the patient will self-quarantine until they are symptom-free for 48 hours without use of fever-reducing medication. As of the time of press, details about how the second Hays County resident was exposed to the virus were not available.

“The situation is serious, and we as a community need to take measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to save the lives of our vulnerable community members,” State Rep resentative Erin Zwiener said. “We will see more cases of COVID-19 in Central Texas as testing becomes more widely available, but it is essential that we remain calm and diligent in our efforts to slow down the spread. It’s time for everyone to take social distancing measures and continue to practice good hygiene.”

Though COVID-19 presents as a mild illness for most patients, preliminary numbers indicate that hospitalization may be required for 20% of patients. Additionally, even with medical treatment death rates are at least 1%, ten times the rate of the seasonal flu. Individuals over 65 or with other medical conditions are especially at risk.

“Now is the time for all levels of government to pull together,” said Rep. Zwiener. “We need to offer clear guidance to our communities to cancel large gatherings, avoid contact with others whenever possible, and to stay home if they’re sick. This is not going to be a painless process, but it’s essential to prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed and to save lives.

Hays County Epidemiologist Eric Schneider said that the patient did not have any other contact with a county resident.

“Upon arriving back to Hays County, they were in the county for just a couple of hours, they were already symptomatic and running a fever,” Schneider said. “They reached out to me and checked all the boxes so we made sure that we got them into a local hospital. The hospital had all the proper procedures in place. They met them outside and snuck them through a side door to not get them in contact with anyone in the lobby … I just want to reiterate that at no point did this person come in contact with a Hays County resident, so the threat to the public is extremely low if not non-existent at all.”

Schneider is currently working with Center for Disease Control to help notify the passengers that were potentially exposed while on the plane with the patient. Testing from the Hays County resident is expected back from the CDC this week.

Schneider said the coronavirus is just a virus and it’s something that mimics the flu.

“It spreads around the exact same way,” Schneider said, adding that doctors in the county can test for COVID-19.. “A lot of people in the county will probably end up getting this disease. But the majority of people that get his disease can stay home, just like you would normally with the flu or a cold.”

Although the threat of COVID-19 may currently be low, county and city officials stressed the importance of practicing social distancing and continuing to wash hands thoroughly and avoid going out if you’re sick.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to SARS and MERS viruses that have caused previous outbreaks. The disease is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. COVID-19 may take up to 2-14 days after exposure to appear. The disease can cause a wide range of respiratory illnesses, including fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019.

Tips to prevent the spread of COVID-19

Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds several times a day, including between your fingers and underneath your nails. Handwashing is considered the best way to remove germs and dirt, and hand sanitizers should be used only when handwashing is not available. The hand sanitizers should be at least 60 percent alcohol to be effective.

• Avoid handshaking and high-fives

• Avoid touching your face – especially your eyes nose, and mouth

• Stay home when you feel sick

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue then put the tissue in the trash, or use the crook of your elbow if a tissue isn’t available

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household disinfectant cleaning spray or wipe. Clean cell and desk phones, computer keyboards, door handles, and work surfaces often.

• Face masks are not considered an effective way to prevent someone from catching a virus unless you have close, frequent contact with a sick person; however, they are an option for sick people to use to keep from spreading the virus.

• Avoid travel to areas that have been designated high-risk areas because of multiple verified cases of coronavirus.

Editor’s Note: CDC changed the recommendation of how long to self quarantine after having the coronavirus. The new recommendation is to self quarantine until 72 hours after you are fever free.