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Hays County reports first COVID-19 death

By Lauren Reid
Published  April 13, 2020 4:59pm CDT
COVID-19 Tributes
FOX 7 Austin

HAYS COUNTY, Texas - Hays County announced the first COVID-19 death in the county. 

According to their press release, the patient was a woman in her 80s who had been living in Buda, Texas with a relative. The health department said no further information about the patient will be released in order to protect the family’s privacy.

As of April 13, Hays County has 93 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The county has also reported 42 recovered cases.

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Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.

Right now there's one big difference between flu and coronavirus: A vaccine exists to help prevent the flu and it's not too late to get it. It won't protect you from catching the coronavirus but may put you in a better position to fight it.

To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.

And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.

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You can also get the latest COVID-19 news from around the country at coronavirusnow.com.