As promised, New Mexico is having a horrible November. And could be on the way to having a terrible December as well, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said today during her weekly COVID-19 address.
Specifically, the governor reported 3,675 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the statewide total so far to 74,116. There were also 12 additional deaths and have now been 1,302 fatalities.
To illustrate the rapid spread, the governor discussed New Mexico's exponential growth, showing how it had previously taken the state 98 days to amass 10,000 cases versus seven days. "This is a really important and gives you a sense about why we're in a reset and how critical this exponential spread is," she said.
With exponential growth, Lujan Grisham said, the number of deaths will also climb more quickly. "This is a gruesome slide," she said. "If we don't get this under control, you're going to see 200 deaths in seven days and that exponential gruesome number will grow."
Bernalillo County had 1,122 new cases today, followed by Doña Ana County with 502 and Sandoval County with 270. Santa Fe County had 266 new cases today, another record high. Today, again, the city's southside 87507 ZIP code, which has lower median incomes than the rest of the city, had the third highest number of new cases in the state: 114.
Human Services Secretary David Scrase said cases have been consistently higher for New Mexico residents living below the federal poverty level, and the governor confirmed "there's an absolute correlation and it is exactly why you should expect to see us focus on mitigation efforts."
As of today, 774 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.*
Scrase also addressed questions of hospital capacity with a map showing the number of beds and ICU beds available throughout the state. With 3,500 new cases per day and 35 to 50 people admitted each day, "we are pressing up against every place being full," he said, also noting that the recording system doesn't allow for "negative" numbers, so zero beds could also include "15 people being cared for in the hall and another 20 in the emergency room."
The governor also discussed plans by the health department to open an alternate care site at the Gibson Medical Center in Albuquerque tomorrow. According to a news release, the site will operate as a limited care facility for recovering, COVID-positive adults who don't need acute care and will also have beds for those who have been exposed or otherwise need and don't have a place to isolate or quarantine. It will not contain an emergency department, intensive care unit or surgical suite.
The governor also announced she will call a special legislative session on Nov. 24 to work on distributing $300 million in federal CARES Act funding. While she acknowledged it was a "tough" time to call legislators to session, Lujan Grisham said "we want to get this relief out to New Mexicans. They need unemployment, they need housing assistance and businesses need grants. That gives us a day…so the Monday we get back, we're pushing money out the door."
Once again, both the governor and Scrase reiterated calls for New Mexicans to avoid Thanksgiving gatherings with anyone outside the home. "A Zoom Thanksgiving is better than an ICU Christmas," Scrase said.
New cases
- 1,122 new cases in Bernalillo County
- 3 new cases in Catron County
- 110 new cases in Chaves County
- 84 new cases in Cibola County
- 9 new cases in Colfax County
- 85 new cases in Curry County
- 502 new cases in Doña Ana County
- 67 new cases in Eddy County
- 18 new cases in Grant County
- 4 new cases in Guadalupe County
- 6 new cases in Hidalgo County
- 156 new cases in Lea County
- 28 new cases in Lincoln County
- 6 new cases in Los Alamos County
- 54 new cases in Luna County
- 209 new cases in McKinley County
- 4 new cases in Mora County
- 65 new cases in Otero County
- 8 new cases in Quay County
- 82 new cases in Rio Arriba County
- 25 new cases in Roosevelt County
- 270 new cases in Sandoval County
- 146 new cases in San Juan County
- 24 new cases in San Miguel County
- 266 new case in Santa Fe County
- 9 new cases in Sierra County
- 26 new cases in Socorro County
- 52 new cases in Taos County
- 5 new cases in Torrance County
- 21 new cases in Union County
- 131 new cases in Valencia County
- 8 new cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the Cibola County Correctional Center
- 59 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility
- 11 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County
New fatalities
- A male in his 50s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions. The individual was a resident of the Princeton Place in Albuquerque facility.
- A male in his 70s from Bernalillo County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 90s from Doña Ana County. The individual had underlying conditions and was a resident of Casa de Oro Center in Las Cruces facility.
- A second female in her 90s from Doña Ana County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A female in her 60s from Eddy County. The individual was hospitalized.
- A female in her 80s from Eddy County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 50s from Eddy County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 30s from Lea County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A female in her 50s from Sandoval County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 50s from Sandoval County. The individual was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.
- A male in his 90s from San Juan County. The individual had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Aztec Healthcare in Aztec facility.
- A female in her 90s from Valencia County. The individual had underlying conditions and was a resident of Belen Meadows Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Belen facility.
Congregate facilities
The Department of Health has identified at least one positive COVID-19 case in residents and/or staff in the past 28 days at the following facilities:
- Adobe Assisted Living in Las Cruces
- Advantage Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
- Albuquerque Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
- Albuquerque Uptown Assisted Living
- The Aldea House – Heaven Sent LLC in Albuquerque
- The Arbors of Del Rey in Las Cruces
- Artesia Healthcare and Rehabilitation
- The Aristocrat Assisted Living Community in Las Cruces
- Atria Vista Del Rio in Albuquerque
- Avamere at Fiesta Park in Albuquerque
- Avamere at Rio Rancho
- Avamere at Roswell
- Aztec Healthcare in Aztec
- Bear Canyon Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
- BeeHive Homes Raton
- BeeHive Homes Deming
- BeeHive Homes Farmington
- BeeHive Homes of San Pedro in Albuquerque
- Belen Meadows Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Belen
- Bloomfield Nursing and Rehabilitation in Bloomfield
- Blue Horizon Boutique Assisted Living & Memory Care in Las Cruces
- Brookdale Santa Fe
- Brookdale Tramway Ridge in Albuquerque
- Brookdale Valencia Albuquerque
- Buena Vista Senior Care in Albuquerque
- Calibre Sagecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Las Cruces
- Camino Retirement Homes in Albuquerque
- Carefree Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Casa del Sol Center in Las Cruces
- Casa de Oro Center in Las Cruces
- Casa de Palomas in Albuquerque
- Casa Maria Health Care Center in Roswell
- Casa de Paz in Rio Rancho
- Casa Real in Santa Fe
- Cedar Ridge Inn in Farmington
- Clayton Nursing and Rehabilitation in Clayton
- Clovis Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
- Cuesta Manor in Albuquerque
- Desert Springs Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hobbs
- El Castillo in Santa Fe
- Elmcroft of Quintessence in Albuquerque
- Fairwinds Assisted Living in Rio Rancho
- Fort Bayard Medical Center in Santa Clara
- Good Life Senior Living in Carlsbad
- Good Life Senior Living in Hobbs
- Good Life Memory Care Los Lunas
- Good Samaritan Society – Manzano del Sol Village in Albuquerque
- Good Samaritan Society Betty Dare in Alamogordo
- Good Samaritan Society Grants
- Good Samaritan Society Las Cruces
- Good Samaritan Society Socorro
- Grace Adult Care Homes in Albuquerque
- Haciendas of Grace Village in Las Cruces
- Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales
- Hilldale House in Albuquerque
- Ladera Center in Albuquerque
- Laguna Rainbow Care Center in Casa Blanca
- Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad
- Landmark at Desert Gardens in Hobbs
- Las Palomas Center in Albuquerque
- La Vida Llena Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- The Legacy at Santa Fe
- Life Spire Assisted Living Rio Rancho
- Life Spire Assisted Living Albuquerque
- Little Sisters of the Poor in Gallup
- Lotus Care Homes Galaxia in Albuquerque
- Life Care Center in Farmington
- Lovington Healthcare in Lovington
- Kingston Residence of Santa Fe
- Mariah House in Albuquerque
- Mescalero Care Center in Mescalero
- Mi Casa Bonita in Santa Fe
- Mimbres Nursing Home in Deming
- Mission Arch Center in Roswell
- The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho
- The New Beginnings Senior Living in Albuquerque
- New Mexico State Veterans Home in Truth or Consequences
- North Ridge Care Center in Albuquerque
- Odelia Healthcare (Camino Healthcare) in Albuquerque
- Pacifica Senior Living in Santa Fe
- Palmilla Senior Living in Albuquerque
- Princeton Place in Albuquerque
- Ravenna Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Red Rocks Care Center in Gallup
- Retirement Ranches in Clovis
- Retreat Healthcare in Rio Rancho
- The Rio at Las Estancias in Albuquerque
- Rio Rancho Center
- Sandia Ridge Center in Albuquerque
- Sandia Senior Suites in Albuquerque
- Sandia View West in Rio Rancho
- Sierra Healthcare Center in Truth or Consequences
- Silver City Care Center in Silver City
- Skies Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
- Sombrillo Nursing and Rehabilitation in Los Alamos
- South Valley Care Center in Albuquerque
- Spanish Trails Rehabilitation Suites in Albuquerque
- St. Anthony Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Clovis
- Stardust Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- The Suites at Rio Vista in Rio Rancho
- Sunset Villa Care Center in Roswell
- Sunset Vista Adult Residential in Silver City
- Taos Living Center
- Tercer Cielo Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Uptown Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
- The Village at Alameda in Albuquerque
- Village Retirement Community in Roswell
- The Watermark at Cherry Hills in Albuquerque
- Welbrook Senior Living Farmington
- Welbrook Senior Living Las Cruces
- Wheatfields Senior Living Community in Clovis
- White Sands Healthcare in Hobbs
- Willow Manor in Deming
Statewide cases
According to a state news release, previously reported numbers included seven cases that have been identified as duplicates (three in Bernalillo County, two in Doña Ana County, two in Sandoval County) and three cases that were not lab confirmed (two in Bernalillo County, one in Los Alamos County) —these have now been corrected. One case previously reported among NMCD inmates at the Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center has been determined to be in Cibola County and has been corrected. Including the above newly reported cases, New Mexico has now had a total of 74,116 COVID-19 cases: County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.
- Bernalillo County: 19,541
- Catron County: 25
- Chaves County: 3,563
- Cibola County: 1,190
- Colfax County: 119
- Curry County: 2,601
- De Baca County: 27
- Doña Ana County: 11,289
- Eddy County: 2,364
- Grant County: 366
- Guadalupe County: 91
- Harding County: 4
- Hidalgo County: 154
- Lea County: 3,378
- Lincoln County: 585
- Los Alamos County: 103
- Luna County: 1,667
- McKinley County: 5,647
- Mora County: 29
- Otero County: 1,037
- Quay County: 169
- Rio Arriba County: 967
- Roosevelt County: 793
- Sandoval County: 3,606
- San Juan County: 4,707
- San Miguel County: 328
- Santa Fe County: 3,808
- Sierra County: 220
- Socorro County: 472
- Taos County: 589
- Torrance County: 196
- Union County: 79
- Valencia County: 1,986
Cases among people being held by federal agencies
- Cibola County Correctional Center: 359
- Otero County Prison Facility: 420
- Otero County Processing Center: 191
- Torrance County Detention Facility: 44
Cases among people being held by the New Mexico Department of Corrections
- Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County: 194
- Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 46
- Lea County Correctional Facility: 121
- Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 72
- Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 42
- Otero County Prison Facility: 473
- Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 88
- Roswell Correctional Center: 219
- Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 141
- Springer Correctional Center in Colfax County: 1
- Western New Mexico Correctional Facility in Cibola County: 5
*Per the health department, hospitalization figures include people who were tested elsewhere but are hospitalized in New Mexico, but don't include people who were tested here but are hospitalized out of state.
