New Mexico Reports 1,791 New COVID-19 Cases and 23 More Deaths |

With heightening concern for over-stretched hospitals in New Mexico, the health department as anticipated today issued two public health emergency orders intended to maximize medical resources by temporarily limiting non-essential procedures, and by activating the state's "crisis care" standards.

A public health order limiting non-essential surgeries covers Dec. 11 through Jan. 4, 2021, and applies only to procedures that can be delayed without risking a patient's health. The state's crisis care public health order details the steps necessary to credential and approve health care providers responding to the COVID-19 health care crisis.

At the same time, hospitals have begun preparing for receiving their shares of the initial 17,500 dosages of the Pfizer vaccine that may begin as early as next week. The state sent letters yesterday to the 37 hospitals that will be receiving doses, specifying requirements for its storage as well as recommendations for prioritizing those doses for healthcare personnel "whether paid or unpaid, serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect
exposure to patients or infectious materials."

Hospital leaders from Presbyterian Medical Services, University of New Mexico Health, Lovelace and Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center all confirmed earlier this week they have arranged for the storage requirements for the Pfizer (which requires -70 degree Celsius temperatures). The Federal Drug Administration is expected to approve the Pfizer vaccine in the coming days, and New Mexico could receive doses as early as Dec. 15.

The University of New Mexico hospital will be using freezers such as this one to store the COVID-19 vaccine when it arrives.

In her weekly COVID-19 update today, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham described the coming vaccination as a “huge bright spot in our fight against the pandemic,” but acknowledged “frankly…there are not going to be enough vaccines for any state to be able to provide vaccines to every New Mexican who needs them and every New Mexican who wants them right away. But it tells me with the vaccine distribution in the next three to six months we are really going to see dramatic improvements in the risks associated with COVID-19 and the ability to have more normalcy in our everyday lives.”

With vaccines not expected to penetrate the larger population for many months, both the governor and Human Services Secretary David Scrase emphasized the need for continued adherence to public health guidelines and ongoing testing to mitigate spread and impact on the state's hospitals.

In terms of cases, however, the state’s two-week reset appears to have helped lower both daily cases and the rate of spread. Nonetheless, Scrase noted the state is seeing a “tick back up,” which he said officials are watching closely.

"Two weeks doesn't really change the entire trajectory," Lujan Grisham noted. "This is not an invitation for people to go out more. It's a recognition that those solid public health practices work."

The governor—who mentioned during today’s address that she will be running for re-election in 2022— also noted she was encouraged that the state’s new county-level framework, in which counties test positivity rate and rolling case counts are re-assessed every other Wednesday, appear to be working. “Early indications are several counties can get into the yellow by next week, which means they can open up a little more. It is an indication… These efforts work, it’s why we do them,” she said.

Today, New Mexico health officials reported 1,791 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 114,731. Of those, the health department has designated 41,177 as recovered.

Bernalillo County had 621 cases, followed by San Juan County with 180 and McKinley County with 142. Santa Fe County had 74 new cases and did not appear in the state's top top ZIP codes for new cases.

The state also announced 23 additional deaths, including a woman in her 90s from Santa Fe County; there have now been 1,846 fatalities.

As of today, 916 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, 159 on ventilators,* figures both the governor and Scrase highlighted as extreme. "This number is very frightening," Lujan Grisham said. "I don't want people to be frightened, but I want you to see this is a dramatic number."

Scrase noted that for the first in the pandemic, "we have hospitals that are over 50% [occupied with COVID-19 patients]. "We have intensive care units that are at 100%. We have hospital [intensive care units] that have every single person on ventilators." There are hospitals taking care of patients in hallways, he said, and outpatient clinics where operating rooms have been converted to ICUs.

The stress on the hospital system means, the governor said, as the holidays approach, New Mexicans need to avoid bringing households together to avoid another surge of cases. She encouraged to instead plan for next Christmas, or Christmas "in July" when perhaps the risks present now have diminished.

“We’ve shown, frankly, several times, that we can restrict the ability of the virus to spread. We need to just keep it up. And I know it’s hard and I know six months from now, when we’re saying Christmas in July…seems like a lifetime away. But…your sacrifices today save lives, protect healthcare workers, first responders, make sure that our new moms and New Mexicans through no fault of their own have a medical emergency, that’s an easy sacrifice. We can all do that.”

New cases

621 new cases in Bernalillo County
50 new cases in Chaves County
13 new cases in Cibola County
5 new cases in Colfax County
24 new cases in Curry County
109 new cases in Doña Ana County
75 new cases in Eddy County
9 new cases in Grant County
13 new cases in Guadalupe County
1 new case in Hidalgo County
66 new cases in Lea County
10 new cases in Lincoln County
5 new cases in Los Alamos County
18 new cases in Luna County
142 new cases in McKinley County
2 new cases in Mora County
25 new cases in Otero County
5 new cases in Quay County
64 new cases in Rio Arriba County
8 new cases in Roosevelt County
125 new cases in Sandoval County
180 new cases in San Juan County
11 new cases in San Miguel County
74 new cases in Santa Fe County
3 new cases in Sierra County
15 new cases in Socorro County
14 new cases in Taos County
1 new case in Torrance County
3 new cases in Union County
74 new cases in Valencia County
1 new case among individuals held by federal agencies at the Torrance County Detention Facility
6 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County
2 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Guadalupe County Correctional Facility
1 new case among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Lea County Correctional Facility
12 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County
4 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County

New fatalities

A female in her 70s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized
A male in his 50s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized
A male in his 60s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A male in his 70s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A male in his 80s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A female in her 50s from Chaves County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A female in her 70s from Chaves County who had underlying conditions
A female in her 50s from Cibola County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A male in his 80s from Cibola County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A male in his 60s from Colfax County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A male in his 80s from Colfax County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A male in his 70s from Curry County who was hospitalized
A female in her 40s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A male in his 70s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized, had underlying conditions and was a resident of Good Samaritan Society Las Cruces facility
A male in his 80s from Roosevelt County who was hospitalized
A male in his 70s from San Juan County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A female in her 60s from Sandoval County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A female in her 90s from Santa Fe County
A female in her 70s from Socorro County who was a resident of Good Samaritan Society Socorro facility
A male in his 80s from Socorro County who was a resident of Good Samaritan Society Socorro facility
A female in her 80s from Valencia County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A male in his 60s from Valencia County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
A second male in his 60s from Valencia 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:

Adobe Assisted Living in Las Cruces
Advantage Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
Albuquerque Grand Senior Living
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 Alamogordo
The Aristocrat Assisted Living Community in Las Cruces
Aspen Care Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Atria Vista Del Rio in Albuquerque
Avamere at Fiesta Park in Albuquerque
Avamere at Rio Rancho
Avamere at Roswell
Aztec Healthcare in Aztec
Bear Canyon Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
BeeHive Homes Deming
BeeHive Homes Farmington
BeeHive Homes Gallup
BeeHive Homes Roswell
BeeHive Homes Portales
BeeHive Homes San Pedro in Albuquerque
BeeHive Homes Volcano Cliffs in Albuquerque
Belen Meadows Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Belen
Blue Horizon Boutique Assisted Living & Memory Care in Las Cruces
Brookdale Santa Fe
Brookdale Tramway Ridge in Albuquerque
Brookdale Valencia Albuquerque
Buena Vista Senior Care in Albuquerque
Calibre Sagecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Las Cruces
Camino Retirement Homes in Albuquerque
Care Free Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Casa Arena Blanca Nursing Center in Alamogordo
Casa del Sol Center in Las Cruces
Casa de Oro Center in Las Cruces
Casa Palo Duro in Albuquerque
Casa de Palomas in Albuquerque
Casa de Paz in Rio Rancho
Casa de Rosa in Albuquerque
Casa Maria Health Care Center in Roswell
Casa Mis Abuelos in Albuquerque
Casa Real in Santa Fe
Casa Sandia in Albuquerque
Cedar Ridge Inn in Farmington
Cielos Abiertos Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Clayton Nursing and Rehabilitation
Colfax Long Term Care Center in Springer
Cuesta Manor in Albuquerque
Desert Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hobbs
El Castillo in Santa Fe
Elite Senior Care Kathryn House in Albuquerque
Fairwinds Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
Fort Bayard Medical Center in Santa Clara
Golden Hands Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Good Life Senior Living in Lovington
Good Life Senior Living in Artesia
Good Life Senior Living in Carlsbad
Good Life Senior Living in Hobbs
Good Life Memory Care Los Lunas
Good Samaritan Society – Manzano del Sol Village in Albuquerque
Good Samaritan Society Grants
Good Samaritan Society Las Cruces
Good Samaritan Society Socorro
Haciendas of Grace Village in Las Cruces
Hannett House in Albuquerque
Haven Care – Birch House in Albuquerque
Haven Care – Cottonwood House in Albuquerque
Haven Care – Fir House in Albuquerque
Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales
Hilldale House in Albuquerque
Ladera Center in Albuquerque
Laguna Rainbow Care Center in Casa Blanca
Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad
Landmark at Desert Gardens in Hobbs
Landsun Unit of Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad
La Posada Assisted Living in Las Cruces
Las Palomas Center in Albuquerque
La Vida Llena Assisted Living in Albuquerque
The Legacy at Santa Fe
Life Spire Assisted Living Rio Rancho
Life Spire Assisted Living Albuquerque
Little Sisters of the Poor in Gallup
Life Care Center in Farmington
Lovington Healthcare in Lovington
Kingston Residence of Santa Fe
Mariah House in Albuquerque
Mescalero Care Center in Mescalero
Mimbres Memorial Nursing Home in Deming
Mission Arch Center in Roswell
The Montebello on Academy in Albuquerque
The Montecito in Santa Fe
MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Albuquerque
MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Rio Rancho
Mountain View Manor in Albuquerque
The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho
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
Pueblo of Isleta Assisted Living & Memory Care Facility
Ravenna Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Red Rocks Care Center in Gallup
The Rehabilitation Center of Albuquerque
Retreat Healthcare in Rio Rancho
The Rio at Las Estancias in Albuquerque
Rio Rancho Center
Sandia Ridge Center in Albuquerque
Sandia View Cottonwood Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Senior Living Systems in Los Lunas
Shady Pines Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Sierra Healthcare Center in Truth or Consequences
Sierra Vista Retirement Community in Santa Fe
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’s Healthcare in Clovis
Sundance Home in Gallup
Sunny Day Assisted Living in Gallup
Sunshine Assisted Living in Tucumcari
The Suites at Rio Vista in Rio Rancho
Sunset Villa Care Center in Roswell
Taos Living Center
Taos Retirement Village
Tender Heart Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Tercer Cielo Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Uptown Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
Vida Encantada Nursing and Rehabilitation in Las Vegas
The Village at Northrise in Las Cruces
Village Retirement Community in Roswell
Vista Hermosa in Santa Fe
Vista Sandia Assisted Living in Albuquerque
The Watermark at Cherry Hills in Albuquerque
Welbrook Senior Living Las Cruces
West Ridge Village in Albuquerque
Wheatfields Senior Living Community in Clovis
White Sands Healthcare in Hobbs
Willow Wood Assisted Living in Albuquerque

Statewide cases

According to a state news release, previously reported numbers included nine cases that have been identified as duplicates (two in Bernalillo County, one in Curry County, one in Doña Ana County, one in Eddy County, one in McKinley County, one in Roosevelt County, one in San Juan County and one in Santa Fe County) and one case that was not lab confirmed in Bernalillo County—these have now been corrected. One case previously reported in Colfax County has been determined to be among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility and is now reported as such. Two cases previously reported in Santa Fe County have been determined to be among state inmates at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County. County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.

Bernalillo County: 32,581
Catron County: 51
Chaves County: 5,587
Cibola County: 1,854
Colfax County: 355
Curry County: 3,517
De Baca County: 69
Doña Ana County: 15,106
Eddy County: 3,466
Grant County: 599
Guadalupe County: 199
Harding County: 7
Hidalgo County: 205
Lea County: 5,097
Lincoln County: 907
Los Alamos County: 194
Luna County: 2,118
McKinley County: 8,128
Mora County: 62
Otero County: 1,768
Quay County: 292
Rio Arriba County: 1,678
Roosevelt County: 1,135
Sandoval County: 6,321
San Juan County: 7,390
San Miguel County: 549
Santa Fe County: 6,108
Sierra County: 433
Socorro County: 744
Taos County: 965
Torrance County: 389
Union County: 155
Valencia County: 3,791

Cases among people being held by federal agencies

Cibola County Correctional Center: 417
Otero County Prison Facility: 430
Otero County Processing Center: 194
Torrance County Detention Facility: 47

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

Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County: 235
Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 118
Lea County Correctional Facility: 155
Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 148
Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 95
Otero County Prison Facility: 471
Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 133
Roswell Correctional Center: 225
Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 181
Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County: 58
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.

New Mexico Reports 1,791 New COVID-19 Cases and 23 More Deaths

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham discusses vaccine roll-out as a bright spot, but says New Mexicans must stay vigilant in the face of strained healthcare system