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- The state announced 153 new COVID-19 cases and 7 additional deaths. See the full story here.
- The Navajo Nation Health Command Operations Center reported 95 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and six new deaths on the Navajo Nation Wednesday. That brings it to a total of 2,654 positive cases and 85 deaths on the Navajo Nation. Of the total cases, 1,072 are in New Mexico, an increase of 32 over Tuesday’s announcement.
- The Los Angeles Times wrote about the struggles to deal with the spread of COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation.
- A consensus revenue estimate predicts that the state will have a $1.8 billion to $2.4 billion hit to its budget because of COVID-19 and plummeting oil and prices.
- The peanut shelling facility in Portales reopened a week after it shut down after “several employees” tested positive for COVID-19. From the Albuquerque Journal:
“The company has not specified how many employees tested positive, but said more than 70 tests were administered among staff and less than 10% came back positive over a three-week period.” - The City of Grants reinstated its City Manager, KOB-TV reported. The mayor fired her after she refused to reopen the golf course in defiance of the state public health emergency order.
- Roadrunner Food Bank is feeling the strain as there is more demand, but also higher costs, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
- Republican Party of New Mexico chairman Steve Pearce went on Fox News and slammed Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for her COVID-19 response. Pearce lost to Lujan Grisham in the 2018 gubernatorial election.
- Small businesses and restaurants in Roswell are holding a food truck event to boost sales, KRQE-TV reported.
- U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, along with U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, announced that physicians, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHC) will now be reimbursed by the federal government for audio-only telehealth services.
“I’ve heard from local doctors and clinics struggling to reach patients who lack good, reliable internet service. That’s why Congressman Huffman and I have been calling on the Administration and CMS to cover care provided over the phone. I am pleased to announce that CMS has heeded our calls and expanded its guidance to fix this issue. This will help countless healthcare providers who work around the clock to provide care to rural residents by allowing them to now take appointments over the phone when it is appropriate,” said Rep. Torres Small. - The state of New Mexico announced that they have delivered millions of meals to children and seniors since the start of the pandemic; 5.4 million to children and youth and 293,000 to seniors. The state has also delivered 400,000 pounds of food items to communities in need.
- The state Children, Youth and Families Department announced Wednesday that they will increase monetary aid for foster families, adding an additional $175 per month to every foster care maintenance payment throughout the pandemic.
“Making sure marginalized children and youth in our New Mexico are supported during this crisis is critical.” Cabinet Secretary Brian Blalock said. “We hope these additional funds will support children, youth, and families who are dealing with additional stresses brought on by the COVID pandemic.” - A 108-year-old man from Los Ranchos survived COVID-19 the Albuquerque Journal reported.
- Volunteers and students at Santa Fe Community College are making meals for those in need, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
- State parks and lakes will reopen in phases; currently, they are open for day use, but not for overnight camping or planned events, the Carlsbad Current-Argus reported.
- The Atlantic warned to be careful about the saying a new strain of the novel coronavirus has become the dominant one; the idea came from scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- Folk Art Flea in Santa Fe will postpone its 2020 version because of COVID-19, the Santa Fe Reporter said.
- UFOlogist Invasion in Roswell was also canceled, the Roswell Daily Record reported.
