By Anita Miller
HAYS COUNTY – The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed the lives of 47 Hays County residents as of Aug. 31, and 18 of those deaths occurred during the month of August.
Hays County’s total number of infections rose by 503 last month, from 4,893 on Aug. 3 to 5,396, and the number of recoveries increased by 1,040, from 1,980 on Aug. 3 to 3,020 Aug. 31.
Statistics show that serious illnesses have dropped, from 23 people hospitalized on Aug. 3 to 15 at month’s end. The backlog of laboratory testing seems to have improved, as 55 cases were listed as “pending” at the beginning of the month compared 22 at its end.
Continuing a trend that was established months ago and has played out nationally over the summer, the overwhelming majority of Hays County cases are in the 20- to 29-year-old age range. A total of 2,085 of the county’s cases have been among people in their 20s — 1,048 females and 1,037 males. The second largest number of cases countywide is people 30 to 39 years old. A total of 905 cases have been recorded in that age group — 573 females and 432 males.
The majority of the county’s fatalities, 20, have been in the 70- to 79-year-old age range. Next, there were 17 deaths among people aged 50 to 59. The youngest person to have died of COVID-19 in Hays County was between 40 and 49 years old.
Twenty-five of those who have died were San Marcos residents. Next was Kyle with 13 fatalities, Buda with 4, two Mountain City residents, and one death in Wimberley.
At least one positive case has been reported in every Hays County municipality except Hays City and Creedmoor.
Concerning ethnicity, 44.6% of the county’s infections have been among Hispanics, 18.3% among non-Hispanic. Thirty-seven percent were “not specified.”
Regarding cases considered “active,” there were 2,884 on Aug. 3 and 2,379 on Aug. 31.
County updates come from numbers reported by the health department. Updates are no longer posted on weekends, meaning Monday statistics include new cases, deaths, recoveries and hospitalizations that happened over the weekend.
The numbers reflect only Hays County residents, though they may have been hospitalized or died in facilities in other counties. Updates are generally posted ahead of 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Visit www.HaysFreePress.com or www.HaysNewsDispatch.com for daily updates.
