Lea County had a two new reported deaths on New Year’s Eve due to COVID-19, according to the N.M. Department of Health, and 118 new cases.
The department reports the two deaths were:
• A female in her 80s from Lea County. The individual was a resident of the Lovington Healthcare facility in Lovington.
• A male in his 50s from Lea County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
With those two deaths, Lea County has had a cumulative total of 89 deaths related to COVID-19.
Lea County has had 41,156 tests conducted and the state says of the 6,691 cumulative positive cases, 2,952 are fully recovered.
Of those 6,691 positive tests, 4,202 were for the 88240 or Hobbs zip code, 1,451 were for the 88260 or Lovington zip code, 515 cases were for the 88242 or north Hobbs zip code, 176 cases for 88231 or the Eunice zip code, 65 cases for the 88267 or Tatum zip code, 95 cases for the 88252 or Jal zip code, one case for the 88261 or north Lovington area zip code and 14 case for the 88265 or the Monument area zip code.
With 6,691 cases, Lea County has had the second most cases of any county in southeastern New Mexico, behind Chaves County which now has 6,972 cases in the county Northwest of Lea County. In nearby Eddy County now has 4,544 cases. To the north of Lea County, Roosevelt County has 1,503 cases and Curry has 4,041.
As of Thursday, Dec. 31, Gaines County had a cumulative total of 1,234 cases, with 84 of those active cases, 1,131 recovered, and 19 deaths, according to the South Plains Public Health District. Yoakum County had a cumulative total of 779 cases, with 75 of those active cases, 696 recovered, and eight deaths.
On Thursday, Lea County Correctional Facility in Hobbs added three new cases, bringing the cumulative total of cases to 246 at the private prison north of Hobbs that houses state inmates.
The ten ZIP codes across the state with the most COVID-19 cases on Thursday, Dec. 31, are:
- 87121 – 82
- 88240 (Hobbs) – 68
- 87401 – 54
- 87124 – 53
- 87105 – 42
- 87002 – 38
- 87031 – 38
- 87114 – 36
- 87123 – 36
- 87507 – 36
As of Thursday, there are 803 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 Thursday, there are 65,533 COVID-19 cases designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.
New Mexico state health officials on Thursday announced 1,684 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:
- 434 new cases in Bernalillo County
- 76 new cases in Chaves County
- 34 new cases in Cibola County
- 11 new cases in Colfax County
- 40 new cases in Curry County
- 5 new cases in De Baca County
- 118 new cases in Doña Ana County
- 44 new cases in Eddy County
- 25 new cases in Grant County
- 7 new cases in Guadalupe County
- 6 new case in Hidalgo County
- 118 new cases in Lea County
- 20 new cases in Lincoln County
- 11 new cases in Los Alamos County
- 28 new cases in Luna County
- 94 new cases in McKinley County
- 6 new cases in Mora County
- 36 new cases in Otero County
- 1 new case in Quay County
- 53 new cases in Rio Arriba County
- 3 new cases in Roosevelt County
- 121 new cases in Sandoval County
- 196 new cases in San Juan County
- 12 new cases in San Miguel County
- 75 new cases in Santa Fe County
- 8 new cases in Sierra County
- 5 new cases in Socorro County
- 13 new cases in Taos County
- 1 new case in Torrance County
- 83 new cases in Valencia County
The Department of Health on Thursday reported forty-one additional deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19:
- A female in her 30s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 50s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A second female in her 50s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A female in her 70s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 80s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 60s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A second male in his 60s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 70s from Bernalillo County. The individual had underlying conditions.
- A male second male in his 70s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male third male in his 70s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A male in his 80s from Bernalillo County. The individual was a resident of the Ladera Center facility in Albuquerque.
- A second male in his 80s from Bernalillo County. The individual had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society – Manzano del Sol Village in Albuquerque.
- A female in her 80s from Chaves County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 80s from Cibola County. The individual was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society Grants facility in Grants.
- A second female in her 80s from Cibola County. The individual was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society Grants facility in Grants.
- A male in his 80s from Cibola County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 40s from Colfax County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 80s from Colfax County. The individual was a resident of the Raton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Raton.
- A second female in her 80s from Colfax County. The individual was a resident of the Raton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Raton.
- A male in his 70s from Colfax County. The individual was a resident of the Raton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Raton.
- A male in his 80s from Colfax County. The individual was a resident of the Raton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Raton.
- A female in her 30s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A female in her 60s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 70s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A second male in his 70s from Doña Ana County. The individual had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 80s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 90s from Eddy County. The individual was a resident of the Lakeview Christian Home facility in Carlsbad.
- A second male in his 90s from Eddy County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 60s from Hidalgo County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A female in her 80s from Lea County. The individual was a resident of the Lovington Healthcare facility in Lovington.
- A male in his 50s from Lea County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 70s from McKinley County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 60s from Rio Arriba County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A male in his 50s from Rio Arriba County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 80s from Roosevelt County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions. The individual was a resident of the Retirement Ranch facility in Clovis.
- A male in his 70s from Roosevelt County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 30s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 60s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A second male in his 60s from San Juan County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 80s from Santa Fe County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A female in her 80s from Socorro County. The individual had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society Socorro facility in Socorro.
Previously reported numbers included four cases that have been identified as duplicates (one in Santa Fe County, three in Valencia County); one case in Santa Fe County that was not lab-confirmed; and one case in Santa Fe County that has been determined to be an out-of-state resident – these now have been corrected. New Mexico has now had a total of 142,864 COVID-19 cases:
Bernalillo County: 40,808
Catron County: 55
Chaves County: 6,972
Cibola County: 2,257
Colfax County: 514
Curry County: 4,041
De Baca County: 97
Doña Ana County: 17,476
Eddy County: 4,544
Grant County: 904
Guadalupe County: 275
Harding County: 8
Hidalgo County: 240
Lea County: 6,691
Lincoln County: 1,040
Los Alamos County: 284
Luna County: 2,365
McKinley County: 9,807
Mora County: 121
Otero County: 2,161
Quay County: 332
Rio Arriba County: 2,285
Roosevelt County: 1,503
Sandoval County: 8,161
San Juan County: 10,155
San Miguel County: 846
Santa Fe County: 7,355
Sierra County: 532
Socorro County: 954
Taos County: 1,152
Torrance County: 477
Union County: 192
Valencia County: 4,900
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 federal agencies at the following facilities:
- Cibola County Correctional Center: 419
- Otero County Prison Facility: 431
- Otero County Processing Center: 194
- Torrance County Detention Facility: 47
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: 280
- Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 250
- Lea County Correctional Facility: 246
- Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 162
- Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 99
- Otero County Prison Facility: 472
- Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 174
- Roswell Correctional Center: 225
- Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 204
- Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County: 151
- Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 6
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.
New Mexicans who report symptoms of COVID-19 infection, such as 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 should call their health care provider or the NMDOH COVID-19 hotline immediately (1-855-600-3453).
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.