New Mexico governor warns virus cases still ‘too high’; 11 new Doña Ana County infections

SANTA FE, New Mexico -- Cases of coronavirus are still "too high" in New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said during a Friday afternoon news conference. (You can watch it in the video player above.)

The governor confirmed a total of 253 deaths and 5,662 infections statewide on Friday, while health officials estimated that current infections are potentially higher because many people have not been tested.

There are 223 people who are currently hospitalized with coronavirus and 49 of them are on ventilators, Lujan Grisham said.

In southern New Mexico, there were 11 new cases reported in Doña Ana County, bringing the total there to 270. There were no new deaths, the county toll stayed at just two.

In Otero County, infections of residents remained at eight, with no new cases. Separately, the Otero County Prison Facility has 31 cases and the Otero County ICE Processing Center has 40 cases as of Friday.

New Mexicans mandated to wear masks

The governor said that she will "do whatever it takes" to protect vulnerable communities from increased spread.

"On my way here...I saw far too much non-social distancing by far too many New Mexicans," Lujan Grisham said.

In her new emergency order that takes effect Saturday (you can read it at the bottom of this article), the governor is requiring everyone to cover their faces in public, with exceptions for eating, drinking and exercise.

“I know this is not popular, but seat belts, child safety seats and airbags weren’t popular either when they were first adopted, and we know they save lives,” Lujan Grisham said. “Please: Wear a mask. It’s compassionate. It protects others, including frontline workers of all types, and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. Let’s protect them and each other and our families.”

Police officers could charge people with a petty misdemeanor for “violating the public health act.” It’s punishable with a maximum of six months in jail.

The governor also warned that another shutdown could be possible if people don't work to mitigate the virus' spread.

Retailers, churches can operate at 25% capacity

For now, all retailers in New Mexico — with the exception of those in three counties — can operate at 25% of their fire code capacity starting Saturday, Lujan Grisham said.

Cibola, McKinley and San Juan counties in the northwest corner of the state are not included in the new guidance because case counts are still too high in that region, Lujan Grisham said.

Retailers are considered any business that sells good directly to the consumer. Entertainment venues, such as movie theaters, concert halls and amusement parks, are not considered retail businesses, the governor said.

Churches and houses of worship are also allowed to operate at 25% capacity, she said.

Other nonessential businesses, such as office spaces and call centers, can also operate with 25% of pre-crisis staffing levels, according to the new guidance.

2nd highest rate in nation of child infections

Friday's briefing came amid word that virus cases involving children are increasing in the state as New Mexico also finds itself short on virus-tracing personnel.

"In children pay attention to abdominal symptoms, or nausea and vomitting," said David R. Scrase, secretary of the New Mexico Human Services Department.

New Mexico now has the second highest rate of Covid-19 infections of children in the country.

"We're at 13 percent. The U.S. average is 3.2 percent, so the infection rate in children in New Mexico is 4 times higher," Scrase said.

Why is there now an increase in children's cases? Dr. Walter Dehority of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine tells ABC affiliate KOAT that there may be multiple factors involved, including that the virus "could be mutating or altering somewhat."

New Mexico short on virus-tracing personnel

Meanwhile, New Mexico is woefully short of professionals devoted to contact tracing that can alert people who are exposed unknowingly to the virus, Lujan Grisham said.

The state needs at least 670 people for telephone debriefings to effectively trace contacts involving infections, the governor said. “We’re at about 100-110 people, and it’s not enough."

That word comes nearly a month after the state embarked on a related pilot program with the federal government and at least two other states. Little has been said publicly about the program since then.

Manual contact tracing is described as a labor-intensive process.

“These are individuals who call individuals who are positive and then begin to get the history of their families,” Lujan Grisham said. “They’ve been trying to figure out their source of getting the virus and then making sure they get to everybody else. It is incredibly time-intensive.”

Testing efforts, workplace safety measures expand

The state continues to ramp up testing, with total tests now exceeding 119,000 in the state with 2.1 million residents.

Testing was offered this week to the state’s entire public and private workforce for any reason, and officials are encouraging multiple tests for people who fear exposure or sense symptoms.

New Mexico has also unveiled a new map that shows workplaces that have been investigated on Covid-19-related matters by the state’s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau. It includes information about the business, complaints received by the state and responses received from the business during the investigation.

From March 6 to May 8, the bureau received over 200 complaints — twice the number normally received in a two-month period. Complaints range from access to proper personal protective equipment to alleged violations of the state’s emergency public health orders.