Coronavirus Updates

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Friday announced 285 additional COVID-19 cases and 9 deaths. As of today, there are 145 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.

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Thursday announced 281 additional COVID-19 cases and 4 deaths. As of today, there are 149 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.

  The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced, on Wednesday May 5, an extension of the federal mask mandate to September 13, 2021.  Here is a statement from the City of Las Cruces:  The mandate first went into effect on February 1, 2021 and requires public transit agencies to enforce the use of masks on buses, at bus stops, and at transportation hubs. This includes all indoor and outdoor areas of RoadRUNNER Transit’s Mesilla Valley Intermodal Transit Center at 300 W. Lohman Avenue.

  SANTA FE – The state Supreme Court issued an opinion today explaining its legal reasoning for ordering the state's top election official to mail applications for absentee ballots to all eligible primary election voters last year during the public health emergency from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This remedy promoted the health of the voting public and election workers by making it easier for voters to cast their ballots from the safety of their own homes. We also honored the separation of powers by preserving the Legislature's plenary power to set election procedures," the Court wrote in a unanimous opinion by Chief Justice Michael E. Vigil. "The writ we issued was designed to protect public health, promote free and open elections, and preserve the rule of law."

  Doña Ana Community College (DACC) is now accepting walk-ins at its Monday COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the East Mesa campus, 2800 Sonoma Ranch Blvd.  

The clinics are open to anyone ages 16 and older who has not yet had their COVID vaccine. Pfizer is the current vaccine being administered. The clinics are held every Monday from 2:30-5:30 p.m. inside the Student Resources Building located on the east side of the campus.   

The clinics are held in conjunction with the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH). Although walk-ins are welcome, the public can schedule an appointment with the NMDOH at https://cvvaccine.nmhealth.org/.  

  SANTA FE - The New Mexico Department of Health’s Las Cruces Public Health Office at 1170 North Solano Dr. will be hosting evening and weekend drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination events throughout the month of May at the following days and times: 

• Thursdays, May 6, 13, 20 & 27 from 4:00 to 6:30 pm

• Saturdays, May 8, 15 & 22 from 10 am - 12 pm

Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available. Residents can pre-register for vaccination and choose their day and time, by scheduling online at VaccineNM.org. Residents without an appointment are also welcome. Both vaccines will be available to ages 18 and up, with or without an appointment, while supplies last.  

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Wednesday announced 214 additional COVID-19 cases and 2 deaths. As of today, there are 144 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.

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Health on Wednesday announced the updated statewide COVID-19 map for the two-week period beginning May 5, with 30 New Mexico counties at the Turquoise Level, at which there are the fewest restrictions on commercial and day-to-day activities amid decreased virus risk. The majority of the state’s counties remain at the least restrictive levels.

As of May 5, two counties are at the Green Level and one county remains at the Yellow Level; zero counties are at the Red Level.

Eight counties advanced to a less restrictive level since the most recent update to the map criteria: Bernalillo, Catron, Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Otero, Sandoval, San Juan, and Valencia.

  NEW MEXICO – The New Mexico Departments of Health, Aging and Long-Term Services, and Human Services today announced a new initiative to recruit primary care providers into the COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort.

“At this point in our COVID-19 vaccine distribution, no group is more important than primary health care providers,” said DOH Cabinet Secretary Dr. Tracie Collins. “Primary care providers have longstanding relationships with their patients and are ideally placed to hold open, trusting conversations and encourage vaccinations. To support that work, DOH encourages providers to enroll as COVID-19 vaccine providers – and DOH will get you the doses you need to reach your patients.”

  The Las Cruces City Council adopted a Resolution that establishes $400,000 in funding priorities and allocations for 16 Las Cruces nonprofit organizations during City government’s Fiscal Year 2022. The funding will come from the City’s Telshor Facility Fund.  Here is a statement from the city of Las Cruces:

Approval of the Resolution came at City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, May 3, 2021.

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Tuesday announced 219 additional COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths. As of today, there are 138 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.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Department of Health is urging parents to register children ages 12-15 for eventual access to coronavirus vaccines when shots are approved for lower age groups.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 12 and older next week, setting up shots for many before the beginning of the next school year. Health Department spokesman David Morgan says the agency encourages parents to register children right away with the state’s vaccination website to help ensure access later.

 EL PASO, Texas –Drug discovery researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso and the University of New Mexico have leveraged their expertise to develop a rapid online tool to accelerate the discovery of drug therapies for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

REDIAL-2020 is an open-source online suite of computational models that will help scientists rapidly screen small molecules for their potential COVID-19-fighting properties. The platform is available as a web application through DrugCentral.org/Redial.

  Eligible students, staff and their families will be able to receive their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, May 5, following the announcement from Las Cruces Public Schools that a second clinic will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in the north parking lot at Las Cruces High School.  

The district vaccinated 79 students last week at its first clinic. Anyone 16 years of age and older, with parent permission, was eligible. Those same students will receive their second dose on May 19.  

Through a partnership with the New Mexico Department of Health and the Office of Emergency Management, district officials say more doses will be available this week, allowing opportunities for staff and families of students and staff to be vaccinated if they haven’t already.  

  SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Monday announced 685 additional COVID-19 cases and 6 deaths. As of today, there are 132 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.

Nine additional COVID-19 deaths

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Friday announced 309 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:

·     127 new cases in Bernalillo County

·     10 new cases in Chaves County

·     1 new case in Colfax County

·     3 new cases in Curry County

·     4 new cases in De Baca County

·     28 new cases in Doña Ana County

·     7 new cases in Eddy County

·     6 new cases in Grant County

·     1 new case in Hidalgo County

Half of counties advance to a less restrictive level;

Nearly every New Mexico county now Turquoise or Green

CORRECTION: The below release corrects typos in the previous iteration referring to the effective date for the updated statewide map criteria and the updated capacity limits for houses of worship. We regret the oversight. To reiterate, the updated statewide map is effective today, April 30.

Seven additional COVID-19 deaths

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Thursday announced 255 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says she expects the state to reopen by the end of June, when 60% of residents are predicted to be fully vaccinated.

She made the announcement Wednesday, proclaiming that the state was conquering COVID. New Mexico has been racing to get more people vaccinated. The latest state data shows more than 41% of residents 16 and older are fully vaccinated.

Twelve additional COVID-19 deaths

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Wednesday announced 248 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:

SANTA FE – State officials announced on Wednesday that New Mexico will loosen the key health metrics used to assign risk levels to counties under the Red-Yellow-Green COVID-19 framework, as the state’s nation-leading vaccine distribution effort is over time likely to reduce the number of asymptomatic people seeking out and receiving tests for COVID-19.

Santa Fe– New Mexico state health officials on Tuesday announced 181 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:

·         78 new cases in Bernalillo County

·         2 new cases in Chaves County

·         1 new case in Cibola County

·         5 new cases in Curry County

·         7 new cases in Doña Ana County

·         6 new cases in Eddy County

·         2 new cases in Grant County

·         1 new case in Guadalupe County

·         3 new cases in Lea County

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation reports five new confirmed COVID-19 cases, but no additional deaths.

Tribal health officials say the numbers released Monday night bring the total number of cases to 30,467 on the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The number of known deaths remains at 1,273.

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A new estimate shows that successive rounds of federal economic relief since the outset of the  coronavirus pandemic will deliver an estimated $18.9 billion in money and services to New Mexico.

The Legislature’s budget and accountability office published the estimate on Monday. A broader analysis will be presented to lawmakers later this week.

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Monday announced 673 additional COVID-19 cases.

Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:

Offcials with the New Mexico Department of Health  announced on Monday that those registered to receive the COVID-19 vaccine who are 16 and over can now schedule their own vaccine appointments.

Health officials say that at the website vaccineNM.org, users can log in using their confirmation code and date of birth, and then select from available appointments in their location.

The New Mexico Department of Health says that they encourage website users to check back if they do not find an available appointment, because providers constantly update their schedules.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — The Navajo Nation is reporting 26 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 10 additional deaths.

Tribal health officials released figures combining new cases found over the weekend. This brings the total number of virus-related deaths on the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah to 1,273. More than 30,000 cases have been documented.

  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas is seeing 165 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over the past two weeks, keeping the state in 40th place among the states and territories in the U.S. So say researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Over the past two weeks, Texas has averaged almost 3,400 new cases per day. Johns Hopkins data show the state also has had 174 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 population over the past two weeks. That ranks 24th nationwide.

  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — State health officials say more than 1.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are headed Texas' way for next week. The Texas Department of State Health Services said Friday more than 708,000 first doses are headed to 928 providers in 129 Texas counties, while more than 570,000 second doses also have been ordered. About 470,000 first and second doses have been allocated to pharmacies, federally qualified health centers and dialysis centers. Also, with the federal pause on the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine now lifted, the federal government is expected to make doses of that vaccine available as soon as this weekend.