Gov: New Mexico’s COVID-19 Outlook Positive

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today touted what she and health officials describe as "good news" and "encouraging outlooks for the state related to controlling and managing" the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those include 15 counties, including Santa Fe County, moving into the yellow category of the state's red-to-green public health law framework, allowing for increased capacity and fewer restrictions. Four counties have reached the green—or best—status.

The difference in the course of the month is notable, the governor said, showing a map that charts the progress the state has made moving from one in which almost all counties were red.

"Look at the difference," Lujan Grisham said, noting that while vaccines are playing a role—the state's modeling report this week indicates vaccines have had a 12 to 16% impact on reducing cases—COVID-safe practices remain key. "We're moving into a place as safely and practical as possible [of] moving into a much better environment for New Mexico," she said.

The governor also touted New Mexico's national rankings in administering COVID-19 vaccines: third for the percent of residents who have received their first shot; sixth for those who have received their sixth; and fourth for administration of received vaccines.

As of today, the state has received 394,175 vaccine doses and administered close to 93% of them. Of those, close to 28% were second shots, or boosters. The health department recently changed the way it is reporting county-level vaccination figures to reflect the county of residence for people being vaccinated, versus the location where they received the vaccine.

Santa Fe County now ranks 20th for doses administered per 100,000—approximately 17% of the county has been vaccinated: 25,550 people who have received one or both doses.

Health Secretary-designate Dr. Tracie Collins said the state expects to receive 61,000 doses next week, a 2.5% increase over this week. The state continues to vaccinate people in the Phase1B of its vaccination plan, which includes people 75 and older as well as those 16 and older with qualifying underlying conditions.

"We're certainly prepared to receive more and distribute more," Collins said.

In response to a question from SFR regarding hospital providers vaccinating people within those categories but selected from their own patient rosters, both Collins and the governor said that should not be happening as it does not meet the state's goal for equitable distribution of the vaccine.

"That's not a fair way to distribute limited vaccine," Lujan Grisham said. "It is not." Collins also said the health department is currently evaluating New Mexico communities within the context of the social vulnerability index criteria to "target" how vaccines are distributed and ensure they are reaching the most vulnerable communities.

As for when teachers and frontline workers, who are next in line, will become eligible, neither could provide a firm date given the unknowns about vaccine supply.

However, the governor did forecast the hopes for a return to some level of "normal life."

"I'm very confident that between the vaccine sand strong COVID-safe practices, we're going to see a summer and spring like the New Mexico we're used to," she said. "It's too early to tell. But I'm feeling very optimistic and I think everyone in New Mexico should."

Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase said he too feels optimistic but also wanted to remind everyone that the newly identified variants, some of which seem more fast-spreading and some of which may end up resistant to COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, pose a threat. "Part of what needs to happen is to plan for the future in a very positive way but also remember there's a threat out here that could be serious," he said.

For now, though, as of today, 15 counties will have the possibility of indoor dining again, albeit at 25% capacity, while four have reached the green phase with even more opportunity. Once everyone reaches green, the governor said, the state will be able to expand even more.

"New Mexico, congratulations, keep up the hard work," Lujan Grisham said. "We're getting to the other side of this in the way that you can in a pandemic. It is noteworthy how far we've come and we should all be really proud. Don't let up."

New Mexico health officials today reported 512 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 178,790. The health department has designated 114,976 of those as recovered.

Bernalillo County had 122 cases, followed by 111 in Doña Ana County and 29 in San Juan County. Santa Fe County had 25 new cases.

The state also announced 31 additional deaths, including two from Santa Fe County: a man in his 60s who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions, and a woman in her 70s. There have now been 124 deaths in Santa Fe County and 3,461 statewide.

As of today, 379 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.*

New cases

• 122 new cases in Bernalillo County
• 14 new cases in Chaves County
• 14 new cases in Cibola County
• 7 new cases in Colfax County
• 8 new cases in Curry County
• 111 new cases in Doña Ana County
• 20 new cases in Eddy County
• 25 new cases in Grant County
• 12 new cases in Lea County
• 3 new cases in Lincoln County
• 1 new case in Los Alamos County
• 5 new cases in Luna County
• 13 new cases in McKinley County
• 22 new cases in Otero County
• 6 new cases in Rio Arriba County
• 8 new cases in Roosevelt County
• 28 new cases in Sandoval County
• 29 new cases in San Juan County
• 14 new cases in San Miguel County
• 25 new cases in Santa Fe County
• 8 new cases in Socorro County
• 1 new case in Taos County
• 16 new cases in Valencia County

New fatalities

• A male in his 50s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions
• A second male in his 50s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized, had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Skies Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
• A female in her 70s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions
• A second female in her 70s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Sugar Hollow Assisted Living facility in Albuquerque
• A male in his 70s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Las Palomas Center in Albuquerque
• A female in her 80s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions
• A female in her 60s from Chaves County who was hospitalized, had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Mission Arch Center in Roswell
• A male in his 50s from Cibola County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A female in her 40s from Curry County who was hospitalized and was a resident of the St. Anthony Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
• A male in his 60s from Curry County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A female in her 50s from Doña Ana County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A female in her 70s from Doña Ana County
• A male in his 70s 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 50s from Eddy County who was hospitalized
• A male in his 60s from Eddy County
• A female in her 70s from Eddy County who was hospitalized
• A male in his 50s from Lea County who was hospitalized
• A female in her 60s from Lea County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A male in his 60s from Lea County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A male in his 70s from Luna County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A male in his 60s from McKinley County who had underlying conditions
• A male in his 70s from McKinley County who had underlying conditions
• A male in his 50s from Rio Arriba County who was hospitalized
• A male in his 60s from Rio Arriba County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A second male in his 60s from Rio Arriba County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A female in her 90s from Rio Arriba County who was hospitalized
• A female in her 70s from San Juan County who had underlying conditions
• A male in his 70s from San Juan County who was a resident of the Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Bloomfield
• A second male in his 70s from San Juan County who had underlying conditions
• A male in his 60s from Santa Fe County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
• A female in her 70s from Santa Fe County

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
• Advanced Health Care in Albuquerque
• The Aldea House – Heaven Sent LLC in Albuquerque
• The Aristocrat Assisted Living Center in Las Cruces
• Artesia Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Artesia
• Atria Vista Del Rio in Albuquerque
• Avamere at Rio Rancho
• Aztec Healthcare in Aztec
• BeeHive Homes Gallup
• Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation in Bloomfield
• The Bridge of Farmington in Farmington
• Brookdale Santa Fe
• Care Free Assisted Living in Albuquerque
• Carefirst Assisted Living Willow Wood House in Albuquerque
• Casa Bella Residential Care in Las Cruces
• Casa de Oro Center in Las Cruces
• Casa Maria Health Care Center in Roswell
• Casa Real in Santa Fe
• Clovis Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
• Colfax Long-Term Care Center in Springer
• El Castillo in Santa Fe
• Elmcroft of Quintessence in Albuquerque
• Fairwinds Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
• Fort Bayard Medical Center in Santa Clara
• Genesis San Juan Center in Farmington
• Genesis Silver City Care Center in Silver City
• Golden Hands Assisted Living in Albuquerque
• Good Life Senior Living and Memory Care in Los Lunas
• Good Life Senior Living in Carlsbad
• Good Samaritan Society – Betty Dare in Alamogordo
• Good Samaritan Society Socorro
• Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales
• Ladera Center in Albuquerque

Statewide cases

According to a health department news release, previously reported numbers included two cases that have been identified as duplicates (one in Cibola County and one in Otero 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: 50,637
• Catron County: 73
• Chaves County: 8,367
• Cibola County: 2,658
• Colfax County: 682
• Curry County: 4,805
• De Baca County: 130
• Doña Ana County: 21,760
• Eddy County: 6,165
• Grant County: 1,391
• Guadalupe County: 339
• Harding County: 8
• Hidalgo County: 330
• Lea County: 7,930
• Lincoln County: 1,475
• Los Alamos County: 460
• Luna County: 3,014
• McKinley County: 11,776
• Mora County: 150
• Otero County: 3,036
• Quay County: 409
• Rio Arriba County: 3,311
• Roosevelt County: 1,810
• Sandoval County: 10,478
• San Juan County: 13,241
• San Miguel County: 1,167
• Santa Fe County: 9,385
• Sierra County: 675
• Socorro County: 1,180
• Taos County: 1,475
• Torrance County: 613
• Union County: 212
• Valencia County: 5,959

Cases among people being held by federal agencies

• Cibola County Correctional Center: 426
• Otero County Federal Prison Facility: 441
• Otero County Processing Center: 197
• 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: 286
• Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 251
• Lea County Correctional Facility: 400
• Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 166
• Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 117
• Otero County Prison Facility: 472
• Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 215
• Roswell Correctional Center: 229
• Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 217
• Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County: 151
• Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 74

*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.