Copyright © 2020 Albuquerque Journal
SANTA FE – New Mexico health officials reported the largest number of new COVID-19 cases in three weeks on Thursday, a potentially troubling sign following a recent case decline.
The 1,927 new virus cases also caused the state’s rolling average of new cases to increase slightly – to an average of 1,304 new cases daily over the last week – though the figure is still much lower than it was one month ago.
State health officials also reported 29 additional deaths related to COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the state’s death toll from the virus to 2,272.
Twelve of those who died were Bernalillo County residents, while two were residents of the New Mexico State Veterans Home in Truth or Consequences that has seen a recent outbreak of infections among staff and residents alike.
There were also 811 individuals hospitalized around New Mexico due to the virus – a figure that’s held largely steady over the last several days.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and other top state officials have implored New Mexicans not to travel for Christmas or gather with non-household members.
“Even as we celebrate the holiday season, we must continue to protect our families and our communities,” the governor tweeted Friday.
Prior to the Thursday uptick in new cases, there had been several positive trends indicating New Mexico was recovering from a huge spike of virus cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
For instance, the state’s test positivity rate for COVID-19 was at 11.9% as of this week – down from 24% as of late last month.
But the figure is still higher than it was during the pandemic’s first six months, when New Mexico’s statewide test positivity rate ranged from 2% to 9%.
In addition to indicating a decrease in COVID-19 spread, the drop in the state’s test positivity rate could also lead to an easing of business restrictions in some New Mexico counties.
State officials next week will issue an updated statewide map that sets restriction levels under a red-to-green system. Having a test positivity rate of 5% or lower is one of two statistical targets that allows counties to advance to less restrictive levels under the system.
