August 17, 2020

State has fewer than 100 new COVID-19 cases for first time in nearly two months

Andy Lyman

The New Mexico Department of Health announced 95 new cases of COVID-19, the lowest number in a single day since June 18, when the state reported 89 cases. However, the department also announced four additional deaths related to COVID-19.

The 95 new cases represented 1.45 percent of the 6,577 new tests reported in the state since Sunday’s announcement. The state seeks to keep the positivity rate, or percentage of positive tests to total tests, below five percent on a seven-day rolling average and to keep the number of newly reported cases under 168 on the same average.

The seven-day average of COVID-19 cases now stands at 151, while the average positivity rate is now 2.88 percent.

The newly reported cases included double-digit numbers of cases in just two counties: Bernalillo County, with 29, and Doña Ana County, with 11. It also included 9 cases in Lea County and six among those held by federal agencies at the Cibola County Correctional Center.

The state also provided some details on each of the four deaths related to the disease.

  • A female in her 70s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of Sandia Ridge Center.
  • A female in her 90s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions.
  • A male in his 40s from Curry County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
  • A female in her 70s from Otero County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.

DOH, as usual, did not provide which underlying condition any of the deceased had, only if one was present.

The state now has reported a total of 23,500 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic and 718 deaths related to the disease.

While most things improved, the number of those hospitalized for COVID-19 increased by ten people since Sunday to 119. This number could include those from out of state who are hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19, but would not include New Mexico residents hospitalized out of state.

The number of those designated by DOH as recovered from COVID-19 increased by 211 to 10,602.

Testing details

The DOH coronavirus information page said the state has reported 677,150 tests, an increase of 6,577 tests since Sunday. 

The state announced the total number of newly reported cases by county.

  • 29 new cases in Bernalillo County
  • 6 new cases in Chaves County
  • 2 new cases in Cibola County
  • 3 new cases in Curry County
  • 11 new cases in Doña Ana County
  • 3 new cases in Eddy County
  • 3 new cases in Hidalgo County
  • 9 new cases in Lea County
  • 2 new cases in Lincoln County
  • 4 new cases in McKinley County
  • 3 new cases in Sandoval County
  • 2 new cases in San Juan County
  • 2 new cases in San Miguel County
  • 6 new cases in Santa Fe County
  • 4 new cases in Valencia County
  • 6 new cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the Cibola County Correctional Center

Additionally, the state reported the total number of cases, including the cases reported on Monday.

The state did say that two previously reported cases—one in Bernalillo County and one in Doña Ana County—were identified as duplicates, while one previously reported case in Lea County has since been identified as an out-of-state resident. These have been removed from the totals.

  • Bernalillo County: 5,365
  • Catron County: 6
  • Chaves County: 544
  • Cibola County: 383
  • Colfax County: 18
  • Curry County: 597
  • Doña Ana County: 2,640
  • Eddy County: 376
  • Grant County: 72
  • Guadalupe County: 32
  • Harding County: 2
  • Hidalgo County: 93
  • Lea County: 930
  • Lincoln County: 157
  • Los Alamos County: 24
  • Luna County: 257
  • McKinley County: 4,125
  • Mora County: 6
  • Otero County: 209
  • Quay County: 50
  • Rio Arriba County: 326
  • Roosevelt County: 175
  • Sandoval County: 1,161
  • San Juan County: 3,104
  • San Miguel County: 55
  • Santa Fe County: 701
  • Sierra County: 34
  • Socorro County: 75
  • Taos County: 115
  • Torrance County: 63
  • Union County: 30
  • Valencia County: 464

DOH reported the following numbers of COVID-19 cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the following facilities:

  • Cibola County Correctional Center: 320
  • Otero County Prison Facility: 280
  • Otero County Processing Center: 159
  • 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: 25
  • Lea County Correctional Facility: 4
  • 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
  • Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 4

There are 56 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 is the same as the number reported on Sunday.

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