Copyright © 2021 Albuquerque Journal
SANTA FE – Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in New Mexico have fallen about 35% since Dec. 9, when they peaked at over 700 patients.
The Department of Health reported 462 coronavirus patients in New Mexico hospitals on Tuesday, roughly in line with Monday’s total but a sharp drop since Dec. 9, when the state hit an 11-month peak in hospitalizations.
New Mexico hospitals have routinely operated well above their normal capacity this fall and winter amid an increase in patients seeking care for COVID-19 and other conditions. But patient loads for COVID-19 have fallen over the last two weeks, according to state data.
The state on Tuesday also reported:
• 799 new cases of the disease, including 308 in Bernalillo County. New Mexico now ranks in the bottom half of states – 35th overall – for COVID-19 cases per capita over the last week.
• 22 additional COVID-19 fatalities, 13 of whom were in their 70s or older. The youngest was a man in his 30s from Torrance County.
Just seven of the deaths happened in the last 30 days. The remainder happened earlier, but the death certificates weren’t processed until recently.
The official statewide death toll stands at 5,796 residents.
• About 76% of adults in New Mexico have completed their initial COVID-19 vaccination series and 34% have received their booster doses. The state ranks No. 11 in the country for the percentage of the population with at least one dose.
• An 11% test positivity rate over the past seven days, a 1 percentage point increase over Monday’s report.
State officials had initially planned only two COVID-19 updates this week rather than the usual five as part of a winter break. But they announced Tuesday that they would continue the daily updates, except on Friday, the government holiday ahead of the new year.
