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- The state of New Mexico reported 413 new cases of COVID-19 and 19 additional deaths related to the disease on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, the state reported just 369 hospitalizations, the lowest number since the state changed the way it counted hospitalizations to get the numbers directly from hospitals.
- Lower hospitalization rates have allowed hospitals to return some areas that have been devoted to COVID-19 patients for months to their original purpose—and give healthcare workers a break, KRQE-TV reported.
- In Santa Fe, residents delivered about 3,000 Valentine’s Day cards to hospital workers at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
- Also as of Tuesday, the state reported 350,102 administered doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (8,014 more than Monday), 257,685 of which were first doses (+4,805) and 92,417 of which were second doses (+3,209). In all, the state has administered 61,173 doses in the last seven days.
- Officials say Santa Fe will need more volunteers for vaccine sites as vaccination efforts in the state grow, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
- Mesilla Valley Christian School, a private school, was told by the state it had to close for two weeks because of 14 rapid response events in the last 14 days, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported. The principal said the school was already on remote instruction for a week.
- McKinley County students returned to in-person learning, KRQE-TV reported. McKinley County has had the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 cases in the state.
- Santa Fe high School has over 25 percent of teachers and staff who have agreed to return for in-person learning, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
- On Tuesday, the Navajo Nation reported 54 new cases of COVID-19 and 15 additional deaths related to the disease.
- The total number of COVID-19 cases neared 29,000, the Navajo Times reported.
- A Doña Ana County mandate that all first responders had to receive the COVID-19 vaccine could violate federal law because the COVID-19 vaccines are still under an emergency use authorization and not fully approved by the FDA, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.
- As case numbers drop nationwide, Albuquerque Sunport officials are hopeful that more flights and customers will return, KOB-TV reported.
- The Navajo Nation has sent out more than 200,000 hardship checks as part of the funding the Nation received from the U.S. government, the Navajo Times reported.
- The Cobre Schools Board of Education voted to approve a return to in-person learning on March 8, the Silver City Daily-Press reported.
- The University of New Mexico’s men’s basketball team had their games against Colorado State University postponed because of COVID-19 concerns, the Albuquerque Journal reported. An assistant coach was in contact with someone who had COVID-19 symptoms and, although the coach and everyone else on the team tested negative, county health officials in Colorado said the game should be delayed.
- A bill to provide rent and mortgage relief for businesses passed a Senate committee on Tuesday, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
