New Mexico governor expresses virus concerns; Doña Ana Co. sees 29 of state’s 239 new cases
SANTA FE, New Mexico – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham held a news conference Thursday afternoon to provide an update on Covid-19 efforts in New Mexico, expressing concern with rapid response to outbreaks at businesses on the rise and the state nearing 30,000 infections.
She said the state on Thursday had experienced 239 new virus cases and two more deaths to bring the state's pandemic totals to 28,224 and 859, respectively.
Doña Ana County saw 29 new cases on Thursday, for a cumulative case count to date of 3,227.
There were 66 New Mexicans hospitalized currently, with 16 on ventilators.
The rolling 7-day daily case average was 110 and the positivity rate average was 2.1%, both of which the governor said were encouraging numbers - but added that they could be improved upon.
In addition to the coronavirus response in New Mexico, the governor also discussed preparations for the November election amid the pandemic.
The news conference came one day after Lujan Grisham added three more states - Colorado, Oregon and Rhode Island - to New Mexico’s list of “high risk” states based on virus positivity rates and per capita infections.
There are now 39 states on that list, including Texas. Travelers arriving in or returning to New Mexico from those states are required to quarantine for 14 days in a bid to manage the spread of the virus.
People who can show documentation of a valid negative Covid-19 test taken within the 72 hours before or after entry into New Mexico from another state are exempt from the quarantine requirement.
