NM Gov Appoints New Health Secretary as State Hits New High Daily Case Count

As New Mexico's COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rapidly increase, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced today she has appointed a new health secretary: Tracie C. Collins, dean of the College of Population Health at the University of New Mexico.

Collins will formally begin in mid-December, replacing Kathy Kunkel, who retired earlier this year. A medical doctor and vascular specialist with a clinical practice, Collins also served as chair of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Kansas prior to her position at UNM, as well as the Kansas Health Foundation distinguished professor of public health and as a professor of internal medicine. At the University of Minnesota, she was co-leader of the Primary Care Research Consortium, co-director of the school's Center for Health Equity Research Core, and an associate professor of medicine.

In a news conference earlier today, Collins acknowledged she is stepping into a challenging role. "This is not going to be an easy job," she said, but also expressed optimism the state can address its growing cases, and confidence in the current health department. "There is a great group of people…already with whom I can work," she said.

Collins will be starting Dec. 14, and said her focus will be "multifactorial," and include reinforcement of current guidelines—such as masks and social distancing—while evaluating current data and the state's needs around testing and contact tracing. At UNM, she said, in addition to her role as a dean, she also has been leading the school's development of health protocols for the pandemic, putting her "front and center" with testing and contact-tracing efforts.

As for whether Collins anticipates putting stricter public health laws into effect to address the state's surge, she said evaluation of the data will come first but, she suspects, the surge is being driven by private gatherings.

"When I look around New Mexico, I feel like people are doing a great job with wearing a mask, where you see them in public, with social distancing, I think businesses are doing what they need to do." Private gatherings, she noted, are an area "where we don't have as much control over, so when you think about what you see publicly, what is causing this surge in cases, that is most likely."

Like other medical and state professionals, Collins acknowledged "COVID-fatigue" as a likely culprit for surging cases, but said she hopes the public will place less emphasis on concerns about new restrictions and more on individual behavior. "I think what people should focus on is how do we keep each other safe. No one wants a loved one in a MASH-type unit if they need hospitalization. What we need to evaluate personally is, 'what is my role to help keep myself and others safe?'"

Collins' appointment comes as health officials report 1,500 new cases today— another daily record—bringing the statewide total to 59,034.

Bernalillo County had 418 new cases, followed by Doña Ana County with 311. Chaves County had the third highest number of new cases: 109.

Santa Fe County had 93 new cases. This week's state epidemiology case report shows Santa Fe's daily case rate per 100,000 at 53.2 for the seven-day period ending Nov. 9, more than twice what it was two weeks ago.

The state also announced 14 additional deaths from eight counties; there have now been 1,158 fatalities.

As of today, 481 people are hospitalized with COVID-19—56 more than yesterday—and another record-high.*

New cases

• 418 new cases in Bernalillo County
• 1 new case in Catron County
• 109 new cases in Chaves County
• 38 new cases in Cibola County
• 5 new cases in Colfax County
• 39 new cases in Curry County
• 3 new cases in De Baca County
• 311 new cases in Doña Ana County
• 43 new cases in Eddy County
• 2 new cases in Grant County
• 3 new cases in Guadalupe County
• 2 new cases in Hidalgo County
• 55 new cases in Lea County
• 13 new cases in Lincoln County
• 1 new case in Los Alamos County
• 14 new cases in Luna County
• 69 new cases in McKinley County
• 1 new case in Mora County
• 14 new cases in Otero County
• 2 new cases in Quay County
• 19 new cases in Rio Arriba County
• 9 new cases in Roosevelt County
• 61 new cases in Sandoval County
• 56 new cases in San Juan County
• 6 new cases in San Miguel County
• 93 new cases in Santa Fe County
• 3 new cases in Sierra County
• 17 new cases in Socorro County
• 19 new cases in Taos County
• 7 new cases in Torrance County
• 24 new cases in Valencia County
• 6 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County
• 37 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County

New fatalities

• A male in his 50s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A female in her 80s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A male in his 80s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized, had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Princeton Place facility in Albuquerque
• A male in his 60s from Doña Ana County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Calibre Sagecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Las Cruces
• A male in his 70s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A female in her 90s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized, had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Adobe Assisted Living facility in Las Cruces
• A female in her 80s from Eddy County who was hospitalized, had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Artesia Healthcare and Rehabilitation facility in Artesia
• A female in her 70s from Hidalgo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A male in his 80s from Luna County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A male in his 70s from Otero County who was hospitalized
• A second male in his 70s from Otero County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A female in her 70s from Rio Arriba County who was hospitalized
• A male in his 70s from Sandoval County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A male in his 80s from Sandoval County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Retreat Gardens facility in Rio Rancho

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:

• Adobe Assisted Living in Las Cruces
• Advantage Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
• Albuquerque Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
• The Aldea House – Heaven Sent LLC in Albuquerque
• The Arbors of Del Rey in Las Cruces
• Artesia Healthcare and Rehabilitation
• The Aristocrat Assisted Living Community in Las Cruces
• Atria Vista Del Rio in Albuquerque
• Avamere at Fiesta Park in Albuquerque
• Avamere at Rio Rancho
• Aztec Healthcare in Aztec
• Bear Canyon Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
• BeeHive Homes Deming
• BeeHive Homes Farmington
• Belen Meadows Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Belen
• Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation in Bloomfield
• Blue Horizon Boutique Assisted Living & Memory Care in Las Cruces
• Brookdale Santa Fe
• Brookdale Tramway Ridge in Albuquerque
• Brookdale Valencia Albuquerque
• Calibre Sagecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Las Cruces
• Camino Retirement Homes in Albuquerque
• Carefree Assisted Living in Albuquerque
• Casa del Sol Center in Las Cruces
• Casa de Oro Center in Las Cruces
• Casa de Palomas in Albuquerque
• Casa Maria Health Care Center in Roswell
• Casa de Paz in Rio Rancho
• Casa Real in Santa Fe
• Cedar Ridge Inn in Farmington
• Clayton Nursing and Rehabilitation in Clayton
• Colfax Long Term Care Center in Colfax
• Cuesta Manor in Albuquerque
• Desert Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hobbs
• El Castillo in Santa Fe
• Elmcroft of Quintessence in Albuquerque
• Fairwinds Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
• Fort Bayard Medical Center in Santa Clara
• Good Life Senior Living in Carlsbad
• Good Life Senior Living in Hobbs
• Good Life Senior Living in Lovington
• Good Samaritan Manzano Del Sol Independent Senior Living in Albuquerque
• Good Samaritan Society Betty Dare in Alamogordo
• Good Samaritan Society Grants
• Good Samaritan Society Las Cruces
• Grace Adult Care Homes in Albuquerque
• Haciendas of Grace Village in Las Cruces
• Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales
• Ladera Center in Albuquerque
• Laguna Rainbow Care Center in Casa Blanca
• Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad
• Landmark at Desert Gardens in Hobbs
• Las Palomas Center in Albuquerque
• La Vida Llena Assisted Living in Albuquerque
• The Legacy at Santa Fe
• Little Sisters of the Poor in Gallup
• Lotus Care Homes Galaxia in Albuquerque
• Life Care Center in Farmington
• Lovington Healthcare in Lovington
• Kingston Residence of Santa Fe
• Mescalero Care Center in Mescalero
• Mi Casa Bonita in Santa Fe
• Mimbres Nursing Home in Deming
• Mission Arch Center in Roswell
• The Montebello on Academy in Albuquerque
• The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho
• The New Beginnings Senior Living in Albuquerque
• New Mexico State Veterans Home in Truth or Consequences
• North Ridge Care Center in Albuquerque
• Odelia Healthcare (Camino Healthcare) in Albuquerque
• Pacifica Senior Living in Santa Fe
• Palmilla Senior Living in Albuquerque
• Princeton Place in Albuquerque
• Ravenna Assisted Living in Albuquerque
• Red Rocks Care Center in Gallup
• Retirement Ranches in Clovis
• Retreat Healthcare in Rio Rancho
• The Rio Las Estancias in Albuquerque
• Rio Rancho Center
• Sandia Ridge Center in Albuquerque
• Sandia Senior Suites in Albuquerque
• Sandia View West in Rio Rancho
• Sierra Healthcare Center in Truth or Consequences
• Silver City Care Center in Silver City
• Skies Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
• Sombrillo Nursing and Rehabilitation in Los Alamos
• South Valley Care Center in Albuquerque
• Spanish Trails Rehabilitation Suites in Albuquerque
• St. Anthony Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
• Stardust Assisted Living in Albuquerque
• The Suites at Rio Vista in Rio Rancho
• Sunset Villa Care Center in Roswell
• Taos Living Center
• Tercer Cielo Assisted Living in Albuquerque
• Uptown Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
• Village Retirement Community in Roswell
• Vista Hermosa in Santa Fe
• The Watermark at Cherry Hills in Albuquerque
• Welbrook Senior Living Las Cruces
• Westwind House Assisted Living in Albuquerque
• Wheatfields Senior Living Community in Clovis
• White Sands Healthcare in Hobbs

Statewide cases

According to a state news release, previously reported numbers included 11 cases that have been identified as duplicates (three in Bernalillo County, one in Chaves County, four in Doña Ana County, one in Eddy County, one in Luna County and  one in Sandoval County); one case in Doña Ana County that was not lab confirmed; and one case in Doña Ana County that has been determined to be an out-of-state resident; 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: 14,943
• Catron County: 12
• Chaves County: 2,786
• Cibola County: 867
• Colfax County: 74
• Curry County: 2,115
• De Baca County: 19
• Doña Ana County: 8,960
• Eddy County: 2,009
• Grant County: 254
• Guadalupe County: 62
• Harding County: 1
• Hidalgo County: 136
• Lea County: 2,767
• Lincoln County: 485
• Los Alamos County: 76
• Luna County: 1,455
• McKinley County: 5,148
• Mora County: 19
• Otero County: 788
• Quay County: 137
• Rio Arriba County: 687
• Roosevelt County: 657
• Sandoval County: 2,699
• San Juan County: 4,254
• San Miguel County: 256
• Santa Fe County: 2,701
• Sierra County: 167
• Socorro County: 353
• Taos County: 385
• Torrance County: 151
• Union County: 47
• Valencia County: 1,404

Cases among people being held by federal agencies

• Cibola County Correctional Center: 348
• Otero County Prison Facility: 417
• Otero County Processing Center: 191
• 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: 160
• Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 3
• Lea County Correctional Facility: 113
• Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 13
• Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 17
• Otero County Prison Facility: 472
• Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 69
• Roswell Correctional Center: 215
• Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 93
• Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 5

*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.