2 more virus deaths in New Mexico; 1 new infection in Dona Ana County

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- Two more deaths from the coronavirus have occurred in New Mexico, state officials said Monday, bringing the state's death toll to four.

The number of new virus cases also continued to rise across the state, jumping by 44 to a total of 281. Among the additional cases reported Monday was one in Doña Ana County, raising their total to 18 so far.

The two new deaths were both from Bernalillo County, which is the Albuquerque metro area and at the epicenter of the state’s infections. Both victims were elderly women, one in her 90s and the other in her 70s, that had been hospitalized with underlying medical conditions.

As of Monday, officials said 24 others remained in the hospital due to the virus, while 26 people had recovered from it.

Nearly half of the state’s 33 counties were still free of any positive coronavirus cases as of Monday.

New Mexico is among the top five states in coronavirus testing per capita, though some virus-free counties aren’t yet equipped with specialized testing sites beyond samplings by a handful of doctor offices.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has moved aggressively to contain the coronavirus’ spread in New Mexico, a state with 2 million residents spanning an area the size of Italy.

She has previously issued a statewide stay-at-home order along with a school shutdown and prohibition on most gatherings of over five people.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)