Lea County had its 27th death attributed to COVID-19, according to the N.M. Department of Health.
The health department reported the death was a male in his 87’s from Lea County, who had been hospitalized with underlying conditions.
Lea County also added 1 new positive test on Monday and 12 new positive tests on Sunday, bringing the total cumulative cases in Lea County to 1,524. The health department said 761 of those cases are deemed totally recovered. The county has had 120,161 tests.
Of those 1,524 positive tests, 893 were for the 88240 or Hobbs zip code, 375 were for the 88260 or Lovington zip code, 144 cases were for the 88242 or north Hobbs zip code, 38 cases for 88231 or the Eunice zip code, 14 cases for the 88267 or Tatum zip code, 29 cases for the 88252 or Jal zip code and three case for the 88265 or the Monument area zip code.
Lea County has reported 51 positives in the Lea County Correctional Facility in Hobbs, which houses state inmates in the privately run GEO prison.
With 1,524 cases, Lea County has had the most cases of any county in southeastern New Mexico. In nearby Eddy County now has 911 cases. To the north of Lea County, Roosevelt County has 306 cases and Curry has 919. Northwest of Lea County, Chaves County now has 1,356 cases.
As of Friday, Oct. 2, Gaines County had a cumulative total of 379 cases, with 69 of those active cases, 303 recovered, and seven deaths, according to the South Plains Public Health District. Yoakum County had a cumulative total of 258 cases, with 58 of those active cases, 196 recovered, and four deaths.
As of Monday, there are 97 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. This number does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state.
As of Monday, there are 17,330 COVID-19 cases statewide designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health. The state has conducted 954,596 tests and has had 30,632 positive cases.
New Mexico state health officials on Monday announced 158 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:
• 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
The Department of Health on Monday reported two additional deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19.
• A female in her 70s from Chaves County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
• A male in his 70s from Lea County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
The number of deaths of New Mexico residents related to COVID-19 is now at 894.
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. Including the above newly reported cases, New Mexico has now had a total of 30,632 COVID-19 cases:
• 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
County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.
The Department of Health currently reports the following numbers of COVID-19 cases among individuals held by the New Mexico Corrections Department at the following facilities:
• 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
The Department of Health has detected community spread in the state of New Mexico and is investigating cases with no known exposure. The agency reports that given the infectious nature of the virus it is likely other residents are infected but yet to be tested or confirmed positive. To that end, all New Mexicans have been instructed to stay home except for outings absolutely necessary for health, safety and welfare. These additional restrictions have been enacted to aggressively minimize person-to-person contact and ensure spread is mitigated. New Mexicans are strongly urged to limit travel to only what is necessary for health, safety and welfare.
The New Mexico Department of Health has active investigations into the positive patients, which includes contact-tracing and swabs of symptomatic individuals who have had contact with the positive cases.
The Department of Health strongly encourages the following groups to get tested:
• Symptomatic people displaying the COVID-19 symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, and/or loss of taste or smell;
• Asymptomatic people who are close contacts or household members of people in their infectious period who have already tested positive for the coronavirus;
• Asymptomatic people who live or work in congregate settings such as long-term care facilities and group homes;
• Patients who are scheduled for surgery and whose provider has advised them to get tested before the procedure.
New Mexicans who have non-health-related questions or concerns can also call 833-551-0518 or visit newmexico.gov, which is being updated regularly as a one-stop source for information for families, workers and others affected by and seeking more information about COVID-19.
