State officials reported seven additional deaths related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, even as the number of new cases remained low compared with earlier in the pandemic.
There were 82 new cases reported Tuesday, well below the state’s target of 168 or fewer cases per day. Of the new cases, Bernalillo County had the most, with 17, followed by McKinley County with 12.
Those who died ranged in age from their 40s to 90s, and most had underlying health conditions. The state’s death toll related to the virus now stands at 830.
The deaths reported Tuesday were:
• A Bernalillo County man in his 40s who was hospitalized with underlying conditions.
• A Luna County woman in her 70s who was hospitalized with underlying conditions.
• A McKinley County woman in her 60s who was hospitalized with underlying conditions.
• An Otero County woman in her 70s who was hospitalized.
• A Sandoval County man in his 90s who was a resident of the Rio Rancho Center.
• A Santa Fe County man in his 70s who was hospitalized.
• A Taos County woman in her 70s who was hospitalized with underlying conditions.
There are 59 people hospitalized with COVID-19 throughout the state.
New Mexico now has had a total of 26,923 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, 14,634 people have been designated by the Health Department as having recovered from the disease, though the actual number of recoveries is likely much higher because of gaps in reporting.
The New Mexico Public Education Department on Tuesday began reporting daily school-related cases of COVID-19. Schools in some districts began hybrid learning – a mix of in-person and online classes – a week ago.
School-related cases reported Tuesday were:
• A staff member at a public school in Bernalillo County who was last in the building Aug. 28.
• A student at a public school in Chavez County who was last in the building on Sept. 11.
• A student at a public school in Colfax County who was last in the building Sept. 14.
• A staff member at a public school in Santa Fe County who was last in the building Sept. 4.
At all those schools, staff members and the parents or guardians of students have been notified of the positive case.
There was an additional school-related case at a Santa Fe public school, but the individual was not at the school when they got the disease and no one at the school was at risk of exposure, according to the PED.
Classrooms and school facilities that are affected by the virus will be cleaned and disinfected, and students and staff members who had close contact with the individual – within 6 feet for more than three minutes – will be required to quarantine for 14 days, according to the PED.
