With COVID-19 cases surging in New Mexico, the health department is adding a new kind of test and expanding how people will be notified of their results.
Today, the department began offering an FDA-approved COVID test from the California-based company Curative, which involves swabbing the mouth to collect a saliva sample.
People collect the specimens themselves as they don't require trained health care workers, but personnel will be present to ensure the samples are collected properly. People must register for these tests as well.
The test is currently being offered at the Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, but a health department spokesman tells SFR the department is "working on setting up six additional Curative sites in New Mexico," the locations for which will be based on positivity rates and demand. "We hope to have these up and running with Curative staff and support from the NM National Guard within the next few weeks," he said via email. Testing locations are updated in real time at https://cvprovider.nmhealth.
With increased testing (the state is administering 12,000 tests per day over a seven-day average, according to the most recent data on its gating criteria dashboard), the state has had a slowdown in reporting results. In response, the health department will start reporting both negative and positive test results by email and text. Previously, only negative results were reported in this way and people who tested positive received a phone call. Health officials are asking people to use valid email and cell phone information when they register for a test on the cv.nmhealth.org website, and to respond to calls from the department.
"This is a real problem. Less than half of people the DOH and our partners call actually pick up," acting Health Secretary Billy Jimenez said in a news statement. "If you get a COVID test, or you've been exposed, isolate yourself until you receive your results. The virus is so widespread in our state right now that everyone should assume they—and everyone they come into contact with—has been infected."
New Mexico health officials today reported 2,259 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total so far to 84,148.
Bernalillo County had 748 new cases, followed by Santa Fe County with 219 cases and Doña Ana County with 202. Santa Fe County's 87507 ZIP code—essentially the southside of town—had the second highest number of new cases in the state and more than half the new cases in the county: 111.
The state also announced 17 additional deaths, including a woman in her 70s from Santa Fe County who had been hospitalized; there have now been 27 deaths here and 1,400 fatalities statewide.
As of today, 846 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.*
The environment department's daily watchlist for New Mexico establishments with at least two rapid responses for COVID-19 among employees within a 14-day period includes 20 Santa Fe businesses today, including grocery stores Albertsons on Zafarano and Food King, which each have had two. The state has closed Albertsons in Carlsbad, Hobbs, Roswell and Las Cruces for having four or more rapid responses in the same time period under rules announced last month. In Santa Fe, the Walmart Supercenter, Target and Smith's Grocery store on Cerrillos Road also are currently closed, as is the Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort.
New cases
- 748 new cases in Bernalillo County
- 63 new cases in Chaves County
- 73 new cases in Cibola County
- 11 new cases in Colfax County
- 100 new cases in Curry County
- 202 new cases in Doña Ana County
- 37 new cases in Eddy County
- 6 new cases in Grant County
- 5 new cases in Guadalupe County
- 1 new case in Harding County
- 4 new cases in Hidalgo County
- 31 new cases in Lea County
- 12 new cases in Lincoln County
- 3 new cases in Los Alamos County
- 16 new cases in Luna County
- 168 new cases in McKinley County
- 10 new cases in Otero County
- 11 new cases in Quay County
- 30 new cases in Rio Arriba County
- 25 new cases in Roosevelt County
- 122 new cases in Sandoval County
- 149 new cases in San Juan County
- 6 new cases in San Miguel County
- 219 new cases in Santa Fe County
- 10 new cases in Sierra County
- 13 new cases in Socorro County
- 20 new cases in Taos County
- 8 new cases in Torrance County
- 8 new cases in Union County
- 119 new cases in Valencia County
- 3 new cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the Otero County Prison Facility
- 18 new cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the Cibola County Correctional Center
- 3 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Valencia County
- 2 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County
- 2 new cases among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County
- 1 new case among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County
New fatalities
- A female in her 60s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A female in her 70s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A male in his 70s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A second male in his 70s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A female in her 80s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A second female in her 80s from Bernalillo County who was hospitalized, had underlying conditions and was a patient at The Suites at Rio Vista facility in Rio Rancho
- A male in his 80s from Bernalillo County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Albuquerque Heights Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
- A second male in his 80s from Bernalillo County who was a resident of the Princeton Place facility in Albuquerque
- A male in his 40s from Cibola County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A male in his 70s from Cibola County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A male in his 70s from Lea County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A female in her 70s from Luna County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A male in his 60s from Rio Arriba County who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions
- A female in her 60s from Sandoval County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of The Suites at Rio Vista facility in Rio Rancho
- A male in his 100s from Sandoval County who had underlying conditions and was a resident of The Suites at Rio Vista facility in Rio Rancho
- A female in her 70s from Santa Fe County who was hospitalized
- A female in her 80s from Taos County who was a resident of the Taos Living Center
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
- Golden Hands Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- 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
- Haven Care – Fir House in Albuquerque
- 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
- Landsun Unit of Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad
- 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 Montebello on Academy in Albuquerque
- The Montecito in Santa Fe
- MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Albuquerque
- MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care of Rio Rancho
- 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
- Sierra Healthcare Center in Truth or Consequences
- Sierra Vista Retirement Community in Santa Fe
- 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
- Taos Living Center
- Tender Heart Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Tercer Cielo Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- Uptown Rehabilitation Center in Albuquerque
- The Village at Alameda in Albuquerque
- The Village at Northrise in Las Cruces
- Village Retirement Community in Roswell
- Vista Hermosa in Santa Fe
- Vista Sandia Assisted Living in Albuquerque
- 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
- Willow Wood Assisted Living in Albuquerque
Statewide cases
According to a state news release, previously reported numbers included two cases that have been identified as duplicates (one in Bernalillo County and one in Roosevelt County) and five cases that were not lab confirmed (three in Bernalillo County, one in Cibola County and one in San Juan County); these have now been corrected. County totals are subject to change upon further investigation and determination of residency of individuals positive for COVID-19.
- Bernalillo County: 22,624
- Catron County: 33
- Chaves County: 3,988
- Cibola County: 1,449
- Colfax County: 145
- Curry County: 2,935
- De Baca County: 32
- Doña Ana County: 12,274
- Eddy County: 2,624
- Grant County: 440
- Guadalupe County: 104
- Harding County: 5
- Hidalgo County: 170
- Lea County: 3,714
- Lincoln County: 680
- Los Alamos County: 114
- Luna County: 1,810
- McKinley County: 6,348
- Mora County: 33
- Otero County: 1,235
- Quay County: 209
- Rio Arriba County: 1,118
- Roosevelt County: 914
- Sandoval County: 4,230
- San Juan County: 5,274
- San Miguel County: 375
- Santa Fe County: 4,421
- Sierra County: 276
- Socorro County: 542
- Taos County: 694
- Torrance County: 249
- Union County: 103
- Valencia County: 2,465
Cases among people being held by federal agencies
- Cibola County Correctional Center: 381
- Otero County Prison Facility: 426
- Otero County Processing Center: 193
- 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: 200
- Guadalupe County Correctional Facility: 54
- Lea County Correctional Facility: 143
- Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility in Union County: 87
- Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Cibola County: 49
- Otero County Prison Facility: 472
- Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe County: 103
- Roswell Correctional Center: 221
- Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Doña Ana County: 142
- 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.
