Hays County reported 1,155 new lab-confirmed cases between Jan. 6 and 12, increasing the total to 12,446. An additional 90 probable cases were reported for the same time period, raising that category's total to 1,469.
Active cases continued to rise with a total of 2,419 reported Jan. 12, a 43.14% increase from Jan. 5 when there were 1,690. Within the past three weeks, 3,021 county residents were reported to have had an active case of the virus. According to the county, 41 residents were receiving treatment for the virus Jan. 12. Total hospitalizations increased by 39 over the previous week, bringing the total to 614. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients exceeded 15% for the past nine days in Trauma Service Area O, which caused rollbacks on opening capacities to go into effect Jan. 11 under Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order. Active cases increased in all of Hays County's major cities Jan. 6-12, with San Marcos and Kyle the hardest hit. Both cities saw increases of more than 200 lab-confirmed cases. “The only way we can get a handle on this rapid virus spread is if all Hays County residents work together by staying home when possible, not gathering in groups, washing their hands, wearing masks and staying distanced from others in public,” Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said in a Jan. 12 news release. “We must come together as a community for the greater good.”
Ten Hays County residents' deaths since Jan. 6 were related to the virus, and six of them were reported Jan. 12, according to the county. A total of 146 residents have died with active cases of the virus. There have been 98,750 tests performed to date, or enough tests for roughly every two out of five county residents. As of Jan. 12, the overall testing positivity rate was 12.6%, and it was 13.56% for the previous week, with 8,519 new tests reported. According to San Marcos CISD, 16 staff members tested positive for the virus along with three students during the first week of classes. Cases have been more commonly reported among staff than students in SMCISD, with 98 teachers and 55 students identified with cases of the virus since school began in the fall.
There are roughly 8,100 students—half of which are remote learners—and 1,230 staff members at SMCISD.
At Hays CISD, 12 students and 12 teachers tested positive for the coronavirus during the first week of classes, according to the district's reporting. A total of 130 staff members and 145 students have tested positive for the virus since the fall semester began. HCISD enrolled roughly 20,000 students for the 2020-21 school year.
