Chaparral High School teacher among Borderland’s latest virus death victims

CHAPARRAL, New Mexico -- A Chaparral High School special education teacher has died as a result of being infected by Covid-19, his family confirmed Wednesday.

Leo Lugo, 57, died Sunday after becoming ill and being hospitalized on a ventilator. He was among a half-dozen family members, including his 91-year-old mother, who have since tested Covid-positive.

The Gadsden Independent School District said Lugo developed symptoms of the coronavirus last week while he was preparing his classroom during the fall break for the potential return of students. He later went to a hospital for treatment, where he died.

"He was a very kind and caring individual who truly wanted the best for his students," Chapparal High Principal Victoria Lopez said of Lugo, who had been on the school's faculty for about a year. He was an educator for more than 20 years and had also worked as a Spanish radio disc jockey.

After Lugo reported feeling sick, Gadsden officials said the campus was sanitized and contact-tracing efforts were put into place to determine other employees who had interacted with Lugo.