July 23, 2020

Recap of New Mexico COVID-19 news (7/23/20 edition)

This morning recap of COVID-19 news from New Mexico is available in a free email every weekday. Sign up here. See all of our COVID-19 coverage here. The state DOH reported 316 new cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths on Wednesday. Perhaps more importantly, the number of those hospitalized jumped up. Read more here. Three […]

Matthew Reichbach

This morning recap of COVID-19 news from New Mexico is available in a free email every weekday. Sign up here.

See all of our COVID-19 coverage here.

The state DOH reported 316 new cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths on Wednesday. Perhaps more importantly, the number of those hospitalized jumped up. Read more here.
Three major hospital systems announced they would start only testing symptomatic individuals because of a lack of supplies, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
- TriCore Labs told KRQE-TV it’s because of the high demand for tests in other states. There is no national plan testing, and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has mentioned how this results in what she calls unnecessary competition between states.
Three employees and three juveniles at the Lea County Detention Center tested positive for COVID-19, according to a press release from the county. Two of the juveniles are quarantined in the facility and the third is quarantined at home, as part of his scheduled release.
A poll of Latino families, by Latino Decisions, found many are worried about the impacts of distance learning. See more here.
Navajo Nation health officials reported 45 new positive COVID-19 cases for the Navajo Nation and six additional deaths. This brings the total number of cases to 8,684, with 6,456 recoveries and 431 deaths related to the disease.
Some teachers are considering retirement or changing jobs because of COVID-19, KOB-TV reported.
Carlsbad Municipal Schools is slated to begin classes on September 8, the Carlsbad Current-Argus reported.
Los Lunas Public Schools will offer virtual learning and a hybrid option beginning on August 17, KOB-TV reported.
Workouts continued for University of New Mexico athletes despite the governor asking the university to postpone contact sports this fall, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
In response to President Donald Trump changing his tune on wearing masks, tweeting a photo of himself wearing a mask and calling it ‘patriotic,’ Republican Party of New Mexico chairman told KRQE-TV, “If you watch carefully, you’d note that Dr. Fauci, his top health advisor has also flip-flopped on this, I think everybody has flip-flopped, you can read science journals and see that some people think that they help, some people don’t think they help.”
The Mescalero Apache Tribe announced all tribal members are on lockdown after a spike in COVID-19 cases on the reservation; in the last two days, 24 tribal members tested positive, the Ruidoso News reported.
The Navajo Nation government will remain closed through at least August 16, President Jonathan Nez announced. The Farmington Daily Times has more details.
Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart will give away free face coverings to members of the public this Friday, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.
The state Human Services Department announced in a press release that the Roosevelt County Income Support Division in Portales was closed after an employee, who did not have any interaction with the public, tested positive for COVID-19. The office will implement lobby hours from 10 a.m. to noon during the closure, and encourages those who are able to call or use the internet to access services.
The Alamogordo Daily News reported on the efforts by Our Country Kitchen, a restaurant, to remain clean.
Elite Fitness and Tanning LLC in Roswell sued the state of New Mexico over restrictions and said the state owes it for losses and expenses related to the public health order. The company is represented by Albuquerque attorney A. Blair Dunn, the Roswell Daily Record reported.
A restaurant in Santa Fe stopped serving customers on public tables after a complaint, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.
The state of New Mexico revoked the food service permit for Country Family Restaurant in Kirtland for serving customers indoors, the ninth revocation since the new public health order went into effect.
Car dealerships in Farmington are bouncing back, the Farmington Daily Times reported.
The Daily Lobo wrote about the facemasks being sold at the University of New Mexico bookstore.