New COVID-19 cases shoot past 300 for first time since July

State health officials reported 341 new cases of COVID-19 Friday and five deaths related to the disease. The 341 cases represent the third-highest single day increase in new cases since the start of the pandemic.  The state Department of Health has not recorded more than 300 new cases in a single day since July 27, […]

New COVID-19 cases shoot past 300 for first time since July

State health officials reported 341 new cases of COVID-19 Friday and five deaths related to the disease. The 341 cases represent the third-highest single day increase in new cases since the start of the pandemic. 

The state Department of Health has not recorded more than 300 new cases in a single day since July 27, but has recorded a steady uptick in cases in recent days, weeks after the state eased some restrictions. The new cases and deaths bring the state’s total to 30,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 887 deaths.

DOH provided the following information on the newly announced deaths: 

  • A male in his 60s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
  • A male in his 90s from Doña Ana County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society facility in Las Cruces.
  • A female in her 90s from Eddy County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad.
  • A male in his 60s from Lea County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
  • A female in her 70s from Lea County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.

DOH does not disclose which underlying condition any of the deceased had, only if one was present.

Ten counties reported double-digit increases in new cases. Bernalillo County reported 99 new cases of COVID-19, the highest single-day increase for the county since mid-July. Doña Ana County reported 45 new cases, Chaves County reported 32 new cases, Curry County reported 27 new cases, Lea County reported 26 new cases, Santa Fe County reported 17 new cases, Sandoval County and Eddy County each reported 16 new cases, Luna County reported 14 new cases, and Cibola County reported 12 new cases.

DOH also reported one new case at the Otero County Prison Facility under federal custody.   

As of Friday, there were 89 individuals hospitalized, an increase of three since Thursday. This number could include those from other locations who are hospitalized for COVID-19 in New Mexico, but would not include New Mexico residents who are hospitalized out of state.

There are 36 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. This number has not changed since Thursday. 

DOH has designated 17,055 COVID-19 cases as recovered, an increase of 129 since Thursday. 

COVID-19 cases in schools

In a separate announcement, the state Public Education Department reported five new COVID-19 cases across the state in the last 24 hours. PED said rapid response processes have been initiated for the cases and all staff members and the parents and guardians of all students in the affected school have been notified of the positive case. These cases are included in DOH’s totals. 

The new cases are: 

  • 1 case in Chaves County who is a staff member and was last on school property Sept. 28. 
  • 1 case in Doña Ana County who is a student and was last on school property Sept. 25. 
  • 1 case in Lea County who is a staff member and was last on school property Sept. 18. 
  • 1 case in Sandoval County who is a staff member and was last on school property Sept. 16. 
  • 1 case in Valencia County who is a staff member and was last on school property Oct. 1. 

PED said all “close contacts” of confirmed COVID-19 cases will be informed of the positive case and instructed to quarantine for 14 days. Affected classrooms and facilities will be cleaned and disinfected; and staff must be tested if symptomatic or a “close contact.” But, PED said school staff members will not be required to present a negative test result in order to return to work.

PED said it has tracked COVID-19 cases within schools across the state since Aug. 17 and has recorded a total of 210 total cases in 112 schools. Of those, 148 have been staff members and 62 have been students.

Gating criteria

The state is currently exceeding two of its gating criteria for reopening. The state’s 7-day rolling average of new cases is at 171, above the goal of 168 or less. The spread rate, which measures the average number of people someone with COVID-19 will spread the disease to, is currently at 1.26 on a 7-day rolling average. That’s down from Wednesday’s spread rate of 1.3, but is still above the gating criteria goal of 1.05 or less.

The 7-day rolling average for COVID-19 tests is at 6,145 tests, above the state’s goal of 5,000 tests per day. The positivity rate for the virus is currently at 3.4 percent, well below the state’s goal of 5 percent. 

Testing details

The state’s coronavirus information page showed 935,401 total tests processed as of Friday, an increase of 7,012 tests since Thursday.

The new cases in each county are: 

  • 99 new cases in Bernalillo County
  • 32 new cases in Chaves County
  • 12 new cases in Cibola County
  • 3 new cases in Colfax County
  • 27 new cases in Curry County
  • 45 new cases in Doña Ana County
  • 16 new cases in Eddy County
  • 1 new case in Grant County
  • 26 new cases in Lea County
  • 1 new case in Lincoln County
  • 14 new cases in Luna County
  • 7 new cases in McKinley County
  • 4 new cases in Otero County
  • 2 new cases in Rio Arriba County
  • 1 new case in Roosevelt County
  • 16 new cases in Sandoval County
  • 9 new cases in San Juan County
  • 17 new cases in Santa Fe County
  • 1 new case in Sierra County
  • 1 new case in Socorro County
  • 3 new cases in Torrance County
  • 3 new cases in Valencia County
  • 1 new case among individuals being held by federal agencies at the Otero County Prison Facility

DOH also provided the total number of cases by county, including the cases announced on Friday. Two previously reported cases in Bernalillo County were not lab confirmed and have been removed from the totals. 

  • Bernalillo County: 6,757
  • Catron County: 9
  • Chaves County: 1,293
  • Cibola County: 443
  • Colfax County: 39
  • Curry County: 881
  • De Baca County: 1
  • Doña Ana County: 3,521
  • Eddy County: 891
  • Grant County: 129
  • Guadalupe County: 34
  • Harding County: 1
  • Hidalgo County: 101
  • Lea County: 1,490
  • Lincoln County: 220
  • Los Alamos County: 33
  • Luna County: 439
  • McKinley County: 4,353
  • Mora County: 7
  • Otero County: 275
  • Quay County: 75
  • Rio Arriba County: 403
  • Roosevelt County: 290
  • Sandoval County: 1,396
  • San Juan County: 3,375
  • San Miguel County: 101
  • Santa Fe County: 1,049
  • Sierra County: 48
  • Socorro County: 110
  • Taos County: 148
  • Torrance County: 80
  • Union County: 31
  • Valencia County: 595

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: 286
  • Otero County Processing Center: 163
  • Torrance County Detention Facility: 44

DOH 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: 34
  • Lea County Correctional Facility: 51
  • 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

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
Senators introduce legislation to aid abortion providers

Senators introduce legislation to aid abortion providers

Sen. Martin Heinrih and other Senate colleagues introduced abortion rights legislation into the U.S. Senate on Thursday. The Abortion Care Capacity Enhancement and Support…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Senators introduce legislation to aid abortion providers

Senators introduce legislation to aid abortion providers

Sen. Martin Heinrih and other Senate colleagues introduced abortion rights legislation into the U.S. Senate on Thursday. The Abortion Care Capacity Enhancement and Support…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Ex-GOP candidate allegedly hired people to kill witnesses in shootings of homes of Democratix politicians

Ex-GOP candidate allegedly hired people to kill witnesses in shootings of homes of Democratix politicians

Republican failed state house candidate Solomon Peña is facing more federal charges, this time on a murder-for-hire scheme.  Peña allegedly tried to hire two…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report