By Sahar Chmais
The number of Hays County residents hospitalized with COVID-19 has been dropping since Monday, Sept. 13.
Over the nine-day span, the number of hospitalizations has gone from 61 residents to 44 as of Wednesday, Sept. 22. A total of 356 COVID-related fatalities have occurred in Hays County. As of the Sept. 13 county report, which accounts for the weekend starting on Sept. 11, a total of 23 COVD-related fatalities occurred in the county.
There is a total of 44 Hays County residents hospitalized with COVID-19, as of Sept. 22 -- 13 are in the ICU on a vent and 18 are in the ICU without a vent. Of the 44 hospitalizations, six have been vaccinated.
Residents who have received one dose of the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, are counted as part of the vaccinated population.
While there is a decrease in these hospitalizations, there are only four ICU beds available in Trauma Service Area O (TSA-O) as of Sept. 22, which includes Hays, Travis and nine other counties.
Across TSA-O, 206 of the 504, or 41% of ICU beds, are occupied by COVID patients.
The number of fully vaccinated residents in Hays County has reached 62%.
