Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continued to increase in New Mexico on Tuesday, while new cases dropped to 590.
The state also reported four more deaths due to complications from the disease, bringing the death toll to 980.
The Governor’s Office said in a news release that 307 people were hospitalized with the infection throughout the state, more than double from two weeks ago. As of Tuesday, 76% of general hospital beds in the state were occupied and 69% of intensive care beds were occupied.
The state hit a record of 875 cases Saturday, but since then new cases have gone down each day.
Doña Ana County led all counties for the third straight day with 163 new cases. Luna County, just to the west of Doña Ana County, reported 95 new cases. The county, where Deming is the largest city, now has 959 total cases.
Bernalillo County reported 141 new cases. Sandoval County reported 32, San Juan County reported 24 and Santa Fe County reported 19.
There was also one new positive test for a federal detainee at the Otero County Prison Facility.
The deaths include two women in their 80s, a woman in her 40s from Socorro County and a man in his 60s from Doña Ana County. All but one were hospitalized and had underlying health conditions, according to the Governor’s Office.
The state now has a total of 43,169 cases, with 21,063 designated recoveries.
On Tuesday, the state’s seven-day average was 754. New Mexico hit its record average of 755 on Monday.
State officials have found at least one case of coronavirus among residents and staff at 68 long-term care facilities in the past 28 days.
