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See all of our COVID-19 coverage here.
Note: There will not be a morning recap on Friday, July 3. The recap will return on Monday.
- The governor said, to avoid reimposing restrictions, New Mexicans need to wear masks. And she said that those who don’t wear a mask in public would be subject to a $100 fine. That and more from her press conference on Wednesday.
- Contact tracers are having a difficult time getting in contact with all positive cases in the 24-hour goal, Dr. David Scrase said in the press conference.
- The state Department of Health announced an additional 130 cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths related to the disease. That brought the total number of deaths in New Mexico to 500. See more details here.
- The Carlsbad Current-Argus wrote about the increase in cases in southeastern New Mexico.
- New modeling form the University of Washington said New Mexico could reach nearly 800 deaths without universal mask-wearing, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
- Sen. Tom Udall spoke on the U.S. Senate floor about the need for more COVID-19 relief for Indian Country. You can watch the whole video here. An excerpt:
“Throughout this crisis, Native communities have fought back. They are resilient. But Tribal responses to the pandemic have been repeatedly hamstrung by this administration and Congressional inaction. Each day we fail to act – to advance policies to address the disparities faced by Indian Country – is a day we fail to uphold our oath of office. The Republican Senate Majority has delayed far too long. Inaction in the face of this disaster is unconscionable. This body must get down to the business we were elected to do. It’s long past time we pass another COVID relief package.” - COVID-19 is making it more difficult to get census counts among tribal communities. KUNM-FM spoke about it with New Mexico In Depth reporter Shaun Griswold.
- KRQE-TV explained what officials mean when they say someone has recovered from COVID-19.
- Out of 88 COVID-19 tests for athletes at the University of New Mexico, only one was positive, the university announced.
- The City of Albuquerque will temporarily shut down some smaller streets to allow for more room for people to be outside, KRQE-TV reported.
- The Las Cruces Sun-News has the video of the incident in a Walgreens where a man hit a woman who told him to put on a mask after she hit him with a piece of paper she said had a copy of the executive order requiring a mask.
- The Santa Fe Reporter profiled some people who have been helping feed those in need during the COVID-19 crisis.
- Heritage Hotels and Resorts, a New Mexico chain, is planning on reopening, KOB-TV reported.
- The Alamogordo Magistrate Court reopened after cleaning when a court employee tested positive for COVID-19, the Alamogordo Daily News reported.
- Vandals burned a drop box at the San Juan County Income Support Division, which had about seven envelopes of those seeking unemployment. This come as unemployment has skyrocketed because of the pandemic.
- The Sandia Peak Tramway and the restaurant at the top are planning on reopening, KOB-TV reported.
- After speaking with the governor, the Mayor of Chama canceled the village’s annual fireworks show, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.