04/07/20 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

By Madyson Sanchez
Junior News Reporter

SAN MARCOS – Two additional lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Hays County this morning at the Commissioners Court Meeting, bringing the total cases to 61.   

“As of 9:00 this morning [April 7], we have 61 lab-confirmed cases here in Hays County,” Hays County Epidemiologist Eric Snyder confirmed.  “We have had 394 people test negative [in] Hays County giving us a total of 455 people that have been tested.”

Synder added that 14 tests for Hays County residents are pending and awaiting results.  

Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra also reported the two new COVID-19 cases and encouraged residents to wear a protective face mask when leaving the house for essential services to prevent the spread of the virus in his Tuesday morning tweet.

Becerra said that while some jurisdictions are requiring or contemplating residents to wear masks in public areas, Hays County is still gathering information regarding the spread and has yet to make a decision about if or when masks would be required.  

The Center for Disease Control recommended that citizens wear cloth face masks in public settings like grocery stores and pharmacies to keep asymptomatic individuals from unknowingly spreading the virus. 

Cloth masks should not be placed on children under the age of two, any person who has trouble breathing or any person unable to remove a mask without assistance.    

The CDC noted that the recommended face masks should not be N-95 respirators or surgical masks.  These masks are critical supplies to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders.  

Aside from wearing masks, the CDC said citizens should still follow social distancing guidelines and frequent hand-washing as the best measures to best avoid the COVID-19 spread.