Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Quarantines After Potential COVID-19 Exposure

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today she is temporarily self-quarantining in Santa Fe following potential exposure to a custodial staff member at the governor's residence who tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, Oct. 2, after reporting feeling unwell the afternoon prior and being sent for a test.

The staff member had worked on the personal side of the governor's residence but did not come into personal contact with the Lujan Grisham. According to a news release, the staff member also wore a mask at all times as does everyone in the residence.

The governor and her fiancee both were tested Oct. 2 with negative results and neither are showing any symptoms. In addition, 37 other people who either worked at the residence or were exposed to the infected worker also were tested and had negative results.

Nonetheless, the governor says she will be quarantining "out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with state Department of Health guidelines."

"We have all seen how quickly COVID-19 can spread, not least in the high-profile example this week provided by the White House," Lujan Grisham said in a statement. "Although we have had good fortune so far in this case, I am not willing to risk the health or safety of my staff or any New Mexican, and therefore I will continue to quarantine until such time as it can be determined with 100 percent certainty that I am not carrying the virus."

The governor will quarantine at her residence in Santa Fe for at least two weeks from the date of her possible exposure, which was Oct. 1. She and others are slated to be re-tested on Oct. 7.

New Mexico health officials today reported 158 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 30,632. Today's new numbers fall back below the health department's optimum daily new case load of 168, although those are evaluated on a seven-day rolling average. The state currently is not meeting that criteria and is at 193. The state's effective rate of transmission also has exceeded the goal of 1.05 or less and is at 1.24.

Bernalillo County again led with new cases: 51 of them, followed by Doña Ana County with 44. Sandoval County had the third highest number of new cases with 14. Santa Fe County had three new cases today.

The Public Education Department reported 17 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the last 72 hours in public schools in Bernalillo, Chaves, Colfax, Curry, Doña Ana, Eddy, Lea and Quay counties (14 staff members and three students). PED today also launched a new data portal that allows people to check the status of public schools, in terms of what types of learning are being offered (remote, small groups, hybrid or full) and the COVID-19 status for the counties in which they are located.

The state also announced two additional deaths from Chaves and Lea counties; there have now been 894 fatalities.

Hospitalizations continue to increase: As of today, 97 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.*

New cases

• 51 new cases in Bernalillo County
• 10 new cases in Chaves County
• 1 new case in Cibola County
• 12 new cases in Curry County
• 44 new cases in Doña Ana County
• 1 new case in Lea County
• 2 new cases in Lincoln County
• 4 new cases in Luna County
• 1 new case in McKinley County
• 1 new case in Otero County
• 1 new case in Quay County
• 2 new cases in Roosevelt County
• 14 new cases in Sandoval County
• 4 new cases in San Juan County
• 1 new case in San Miguel County
• 3 new cases in Santa Fe County
• 1 new cases in Sierra County
• 2 new cases in Socorro County
• 2 new cases in Valencia County
• 1 new case among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County

New fatalities

• A female in her 70s from Chaves County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A male in his 70s from Lea County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions

Congregate facilities

The Department of Health has identified at least one positive COVID-19 case in residents and/or staff in the past 28 days at the following facilities:

• Albuquerque Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
• Aristocrat Assisted Living in Las Cruces
• Atria Vista Del Rio in Albuquerque
• Avamere at Rio Rancho
• Bear Canyon Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
• Belen Meadows Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Belen
• Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation
• Brookdale Santa Fe
• Camino Healthcare in Albuquerque
• Casa Arena Blanca Nursing Center in Alamogordo
• Casa de Oro Center in Las Cruces
• Casa Maria Health Care Center in Roswell
• Clovis Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
• Colfax Long Term Care Center in Springer
• Desert Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation in Hobbs
• Good Life Senior Living in Lovington
• Good Samaritan Society Las Cruces
• Heartfelt Manor in Roswell
• Laguna Rainbow Care in Casa Blanca
• Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad
• Las Palomas Center in Albuquerque
• Lotus Care Homes in Albuquerque
• Lovington Healthcare in Lovington
• Mission Arch Center in Roswell
• MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care in Rio Rancho
• Princeton Place in Albuquerque
• Ramah Adult Care in Ramah
• Raton Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Raton
• The Rehab Center of Albuquerque in Albuquerque
• Red Rocks Care Center in Gallup
• Retirement Ranches in Clovis
• Sandia Senior Suites in Albuquerque
• San Juan Center in Albuquerque
• Silver City Care Center in Silver City
• Sunset Villa Nursing Home in Roswell
• Tercer Cielo in Albuquerque
• Village at Northrise in Las Cruces
• Village Retirement Community in Roswell
• The Watermark at Cherry Hills in Albuquerque
• Welbrook Senior Living Las Cruces

Statewide cases

According to a state news release, previously reported numbers included two cases that have been identified as duplicates (one in Curry County, one in Santa Fe County) and one case that has been identified as an out-of-state resident in Bernalillo County; these have now been corrected. County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.

• Bernalillo County: 6,928
• Catron County: 9
• Chaves County: 1,356
• Cibola County: 446
• Colfax County: 39
• Curry County: 919
• De Baca County: 1
• Doña Ana County: 3,678
• Eddy County: 911
• Grant County: 131
• Guadalupe County: 34
• Harding County: 1
• Hidalgo County: 102
• Lea County: 1,524
• Lincoln County: 225
• Los Alamos County: 35
• Luna County: 449
• McKinley County: 4,356
• Mora County: 7
• Otero County: 280
• Quay County: 77
• Rio Arriba County: 404
• Roosevelt County: 306
• Sandoval County: 1,419
• San Juan County: 3,392
• San Miguel County: 104
• Santa Fe County: 1,083
• Sierra County: 50
• Socorro County: 117
• Taos County: 148
• Torrance County: 80
• Union County: 31
• Valencia County: 606

Cases among people being held by federal agencies

• Cibola County Correctional Center: 324
• Otero County Prison Facility: 286
• Otero County Processing Center: 163
• Torrance County Detention Facility: 44

Cases among people being held by the New Mexico Department of Corrections

• Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County: 35
• Lea County Correctional Facility: 51
• Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 2
• 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

*Per the health department, hospitalization figures include people who were tested elsewhere but are hospitalized in New Mexico, but don't include people who were tested here but are hospitalized out of state.