On Wednesday, the New Mexico Department of Health reported 200 new cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths related to the disease.
This was the first day the state reported more than 200 cases in a single day in nearly a month, since August 26.
The most cases came in Doña Ana County, with 33, followed by 28 new cases in Bernalillo County, 22 new cases in Chaves County, 22 new cases in Eddy County and 15 new cases in Curry County. DOH also reported 11 more cases among state Department of Corrections inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility, bringing the total in that facility to 48.
DOH also reported the first case in the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County.
COVID-19 has spread quickly throughout detention centers and prisons in New Mexico and elsewhere.
The 22 cases in Eddy County represented the fifth time the county reported 20 or more cases in one day, and the first since September 10.
Southeastern New Mexico has been the area with the largest growth per capita in recent weeks.
DOH has found 27,987 cases of COVID-19 and reported 857 deaths related to the disease.
DOH reported some details on the three newly reported deaths related to COVID-19.
A female in her 60s from Doña Ana County and a male in his 70s from McKinley County each had underlying conditions before their deaths. DOH did not provide which underlying conditions because of privacy concerns. The third death was a female in her 70s from Lea County. None were listed as hospitalized according to the release on Wednesday.
A total of 72 people were hospitalized as of Wednesday, an increase of three people since Tuesday’s announcement. This could include those from out of state who are hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19, but would not include New Mexicans who are hospitalized out of state.
A total of 15,669 confirmed cases are now designated as recovered by DOH, an increase of 83 since Tuesday.
Testing details
The state coronavirus information page said the state has processed 878,406 COVID-19 tests as of Wednesday, which was 6,075 more tests than reported on Tuesday.
The state provided the number of cases reported on Wednesday broken out by county, with inmates and detainees held by the state Department of Corrections and federal agencies separated from the counties in which they reside.
- 28 new cases in Bernalillo County
- 22 new cases in Chaves County
- 7 new cases in Cibola County
- 2 new cases in Colfax County
- 15 new cases in Curry County
- 33 new cases in Doña Ana County
- 22 new cases in Eddy County
- 2 new cases in Grant County
- 9 new cases in Lea County
- 7 new cases in Lincoln County
- 1 new case in Los Alamos County
- 1 new case in Luna County
- 2 new cases in McKinley County
- 4 new cases in Otero County
- 1 new case in Quay County
- 5 new cases in Roosevelt County
- 4 new cases in San Juan County
- 5 new cases in Sandoval County
- 1 new case in Santa Fe County
- 1 new case in Sierra County
- 6 new cases in Socorro County
- 2 new cases in Taos County
- 8 new cases in Valencia County
- 11 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility
- 1 new case among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County
DOH reported the following numbers of COVID-19 cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the following facilities:
- Cibola County Correctional Center: 324
- Otero County Prison Facility: 281
- Otero County Processing Center: 163
- Torrance County Detention Facility: 44
DOH also reported the following numbers of COVID-19 cases among individuals held by the New Mexico Corrections Department at the following facilities:
- Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County: 33
- Lea County Correctional Facility: 48
- Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 1
- Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 1
- Otero County Prison Facility: 472
- Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 1
- Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 1
- Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 4
There are 27 acute care or long-term care facilities with at least one staff or resident who tested positive for the disease within the last 28 days, according to DOH. That’s a decrease of five since Tuesday.
