DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH NEWS

New Mexico state health officials on Friday announced245 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:

• 59 new cases in Bernalillo County
• 8 new cases in Chaves County
• 4 new cases in Curry County
• 46 new cases in Doña Ana County
• 12 new cases in Eddy County
• 1 new case in Lea County
• 4 new cases in Lincoln County
• 3 new cases in Los Alamos County
• 8 new cases in Luna County
• 6 new cases in McKinley County
• 8 new cases in Otero County
• 2 new cases in Quay County
• 2 new cases in Rio Arriba County
• 1 new case in Roosevelt County
• 18 new cases in Sandoval County
• 36 new cases in San Juan County
• 1 new case in San Miguel County
• 12 new cases in Santa Fe County
• 5 new cases in Sierra County
• 1 new case in Torrance County
• 7 new cases in Valencia County
• 1 new case among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County

The Department of Health on Friday reported one additional deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19:

• A male in his 70s  from Bernalillo County. The individual had underlying conditions.

The number of deaths of New Mexico residents related to COVID-19 is now 4,024.

The ten ZIP codes across the state with the most COVID-19 cases on Friday, Apr. 23 are:

87401 – 15

88220 – 11

87121 – 10

88081 – 9

87120 – 8

87144 – 8

88012 – 8

87108 – 7

87124 – 7

88011 – 7

Daily case counts and test numbers are raw data based on information the state receives today – meaning data that has not yet been scrutinized to identify potential duplicates or late-arriving positives or negatives. By contrast, the Red Yellow Green county-level analysis provides a highly accurate picture for a two-week period of time.

Previously reported numbers included nine cases that have been identified as duplicates (five in Chaves County, one in Eddy County, one in Los Alamos County, one in McKinley County, one in Otero County) and five cases that were not lab confirmed (three in Bernalillo County, one in Eddy County, one in Otero County) — these have now been corrected. Including the above newly reported cases, New Mexico has now had a total of 196,221 COVID-19 cases:

Bernalillo County: 56,336

Catron County: 90

Chaves County: 8,856

Cibola County: 2,857

Colfax County: 745

Curry County: 5,086

De Baca County: 138

Doña Ana County: 24,458

Eddy County: 6,765

Grant County: 1,681

Guadalupe County: 376

Harding County: 10

Hidalgo County: 359

Lea County: 8,266

Lincoln County: 1,636

Los Alamos County: 514

Luna County: 3,284

McKinley County: 12,208

Mora County: 169

Otero County: 3,754

Quay County: 441

Rio Arriba County: 3,557

Roosevelt County: 1,878

Sandoval County: 11,771

San Juan County: 14,259

San Miguel County: 1,340

Santa Fe County: 10,053

Sierra County: 733

Socorro County: 1,301

Taos County: 1,650

Torrance County: 701

Union County: 247

Valencia County: 6,589

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: 446
• Otero County Federal Prison Facility: 444
• Otero County Processing Center: 198
• 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: 295

Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 251

Lea County Correctional Facility: 762

Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 167

Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 127

Otero County Prison Facility: 472

Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 218

Roswell Correctional Center: 230

Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 230

Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County: 151

Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 75

As of today, there are 116 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 today, there are 177,623 COVID-19 cases designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.

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 long-term care facilities:

• Bear Canyon Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
• Belen Meadows Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Belen
• Brookedale Santa Fe
• Brookdale Valencia in Albuquerque
• Good Samaritan Society–Betty Dare in alamogordo
• Genesis Healthcare Uptown in Albuquerque
• Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad
• New Mexico State Veterans Home in Truth or Consequences
• Princeton Place in Albuquerque
• Skies Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
• White Sands Healthcare in Hobbs

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.

Every New Mexican must work together to stem the spread of COVID-19. Stay home, especially if you are sick. Wear a mask or face covering when in public and around others.

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.