Wednesday, February 3, 2021 The San Marcos City Council opted to “hit education hard” rather than make an emergency order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 after the city recorded its deadliest month amid the pandemic. Director of Public Safety Chase Stapp revealed the stark statistic of 25 coronavirus-related fatalities in San Marcos during January preceded by 13 in December. “Trends are for the moment going in the right direction,” Stapp said, adding that he's unsure if the decline in active cases and hospitalization rates is a natural decline from the spike in the aftermath of holiday gatherings or if it's a true decline.