‘Answer your phone’ – in New Mexico, it could be a contact tracer calling

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - Cases of the virus might be gradually increasing in New Mexico, but state's calls to those who have come into contact with positive patients has grown "exponentially."

"It exponentially grows every single day," said Salina Torres of the New Mexico Department of Health. "It's huge. We're pulling every resource to get this managed as best as we can."

Last week, Torres told Las Cruces city councilors that NMDOH staffers made 10,000 calls to attempt to reach people who have come into contact with Covid-19 infected people.

"It usually takes about three calls to be able to get people," admitted David Morgan, an NMDOH spokesman.

"I'm sure folks that don't recognize the number are apt to not answer," said Councilman Gabe Vasquez, who represents district three. "Especially those millennials who never answer their phones. Myself included."

Torres said contact tracing is relatively straightforward when there is an outbreak in the workplace, but that the 4th of July holiday weekend presented a challenge to the state.

"After that, we had a significant amount of individuals reporting that they attended parties with large groups of people," Torres said. "Those are a little more difficult to trace, because they didn't necessarily know where the party was or who the host was."

Morgan said Doña Ana County has an infection rate of 5.3 percent, slightly above the state infection rate of 4.7 percent.

For comparison, 12.6 percent of all Covid-19 cases in Arizona came back positive on Friday.

Morgan told ABC-7 that the state is stockpiling hundreds of ventilators, just in case.

"Obviously, we do want to be able to be prepared for any emergency, as much as we possibly can," Morgan said. "Just to make sure we are ready if indeed a surge comes."

To see the comments made at the Las Cruces City Council meeting, click here to watch it.