ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico is extending its latest mandate for masking in indoor public settings for at least another month amid the current surge in COVID-19 cases, state officials said. The mandate re-imposed on Aug. 20 as part of a public health order by acting state Health Secretary David Scrase will be extended without significant changes, Tripp Stelnicki, …

A flood of COVID patients in Lea County is stretching local hospitals to the breaking point. “The scenario we’re facing is a disaster,” said Dan Springer, CEO of Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital. “We have done everything possible to accommodate patients. We’re just completely overwhelmed.” As of midday Tuesday, Covenant Hobbs was “beyond capacity,” Springer told the News-Sun, with 19 patients …

HOUSTON (AP) — The National Rifle Association announced Tuesday it has canceled its annual meeting, which had been set to be held next month in Houston, due to concerns over COVID-19. The NRA’s meeting had been set for Sept. 3 through Sept. 5 and would have been attended by thousands of people taking part in social gatherings and other events …

HOUSTON (AP) — The National Rifle Association announced Tuesday it has canceled its annual meeting, which had been set to be held next month in Houston, due to concerns over COVID-19. The NRA’s meeting had been set for Sept. 3 through Sept. 5 and would have been attended by thousands of people taking part in social gatherings and other events …

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Monday, a milestone that could boost public confidence in the shots and spur more companies, universities and local governments to make vaccinations mandatory. The Pentagon immediately announced it will press aahead with plans to require members of the military to get the vaccine as the U.S., and the …

By TERRY WALLACE Associated Press Enforcement in the state’s public school systems of Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates has been dropped, for now, the Texas Education Agency said Thursday. In a public health guidance letter, the TEA said enforcement was being dropped because of ongoing court challenges to the ban. The letter said the new guidance is effective …

• Weekend vaccination clinics planned for Tasker Arena in Hobbs Lea County hospitals are facing a potential shortage of hospital beds to treat seriously ill patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. Dan Springer, CEO of Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital, and David Shaw, CEO of Nor-Lea Hospital District in Lovington, addressed the community via live social media press conference Tuesday, urging …

From the N.M. Governor’s office SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday will announce that the state of New Mexico will re-implement a statewide requirement that facemasks be worn in all public indoor spaces, with only limited exceptions, and regardless of vaccination status, to stem the state’s rising tide of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. The governor also announced …

Lea County had 104 new COVID-19 related positive tests on Friday. The Friday figure follows Thursdays when Lea County saw more than 600 cases appear on the state’s tally of COVID-19 in one day. Out of the 612 cases reported Thursday, 331 are considered historical (meaning more than 14 days have passed since the specimen was collected) and should not be …

HOUSTON (AP) — The third wave of COVID-19 in Texas continues to tax the state’s health care systems as 10,000 COVID-19 sufferers have been hospitalized for the first time since early February, state health officials reported. Meantime, local governments and courts continue to chip away at Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask and social distancing mandates as a state district …