149 COVID-19 cases confirmed in Hays County, 71 patients have recovered

City officials say 1,491 people have tested negative for the virus so far

San Antonio's COVID-19 testing lab (COSA)

HAYS COUNTY, Texas4/25/20 Update:

As of Saturday, Hays County Local Health Department is reporting 149 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county, according to the county’s website.

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Of the 149 COVID-19 cases, 71 have recovered so far and are out of quarantine.

Officials said there are 77 active cases and four current hospitalizations. A total of 13 negative tests were received, totaling 1,491, according to health officials.

For more on the latest COVID-19 numbers, visit the Hays County website here.

4/19/20 Update:

Two new COVID-19 cases are reported in Hays County, bringing the total to 127, according to the Hays County Local Health Department.

As of Sunday, 57 of those patients have recovered and are out of quarantine and 69 cases are still active, officials say.

The county has received 707 negative test results, 14 patients are hospitalized and the death toll remains at one.

For the latest numbers in Hays County, visit its website by clicking here.

4/18/20 Update:

Hays County officials have confirmed four news cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases to 125.

Officials said Saturday that there are 70 active cases and 54 recoveries. The death toll remains at one.

A total of 14 people have been hospitalized, officials said.

Tests are pending for 27 people, and 701 tests have come back negative.

4/17/20 Update:

Four new COVID-19 cases are confirmed in Hays County, bringing the total number of cases to 121, according to the Hays County Local Health Department.

Officials also reported that 680 people have tested negative for the virus and 53 people have recovered from the virus and are out of quarantine.

There are 67 active cases, one fatality and 12 hospitalizations, according to the county’s website.

We’ll bring more updates as they become available.

4/13/20 Update:

Four additional COVID-19 cases are confirmed in Hays County, bringing the total number of cases to 93, according to the county’s website.

County officials also confirmed its first COVID-19 fatality, which was a woman in her 80s that had been living in Buda with a relative.

As of Monday, there are 93 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county, 571 negative test results, seven cases that are still pending, 42 patients that have recovered, 50 active cases and one fatality.

We’ll bring more updates as they become available.

4/12/20 Update:

Seven additional COVID-19 cases have been reported in Hays County, according to health officials.

This brings the total number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county to 89, according to the county’s website.

Health officials say there are 549 negative COVID-19 tests, nine cases still pending, 24 recovered COVID-19 patients and nine total hospitalizations so far. As of Sunday, two patients were still receiving treatment in the hospital.

We’ll bring more updates as they become available.

4/5/20 Update:

Hays County health officials are reporting four additional COVID-19 cases from overnight Saturday and Sunday morning, according to the county’s website.

This totals the number of COVID-19 cases to 54 lab-confirmed cases in the county.

Officials say 41 cases are still active, 2 are hospitalized, 13 patients have recovered and 12 are still pending.

We’ll bring more updates as they become available.

4/4/20 Update:

As of Saturday, there are three additional COVID-19 cases confirmed in Hays County, according to the county’s website.

The Hays County Local Health Department reports the cases were confirmed overnight and today.

So far Hays County has 50 confirmed cases, 267 negative cases, 7 tests are pending and 13 cases have recovered.

Five of the cases are hospitalized at the time.

Original:

The first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Hays County has been confirmed by officials Saturday morning.

The patient is believed to have been exposed to the coronavirus while traveling to multiple cities along the U.S. West Coast, according to a news release.

Hays County Local Health Department was notified by the patient who was experiencing symptoms and the patient was admitted to a local hospital where he/she is currently recovering, the news release states.

The latest: What you should know about coronavirus cases in Texas

An epidemiologist in Hays County is reminding citizens that symptoms include “moderate fever, a cough, and congestion, typically treated with over the counter medications as there is no specialized treatment for COVID-19 as there is with Influenza,” according to the release.

COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.

Anyone who is experiencing symptoms should self-quarantine until they are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications for 48 hours.

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“As this is a pandemic disease, we fully expected to see cases in Hays County and have been preparing for this situation,” County Judge Ruben Becerra said. “We have been working with local and state officials to ensure that protocols are established and followed, and that we have access to additional resources should they be necessary.”

The release lists the following prevention tips to help slow the spread of the coronavirus:

  • 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 Corona
  • Individuals are encouraged to avoid large gatherings. This includes, but is not limited to concerts, plays, sporting events, gymnasiums, dances, and restaurants. Recreation activities that can be practiced in private are encouraged. This virus spreads by person-to-person transmission just like the flu, so limiting human contact can help prevent COVID-19 from spreading.

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About the Authors:

Cody King is a digital journalist for KSAT 12. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois.