Governor urges New Mexicans not to let guard down as Doña Ana County has 2 new virus deaths
SANTA FE, New Mexico — New Mexico's governor is urging residents to take precautions while celebrating Labor Day to avoid spreading the coronavirus.
The warning comes as state health officials on Saturday reported 152 new confirmed Covid-19 cases and six additional deaths, including two in Doña Ana County.
The latest fatalities involved a man in his 70s who was a resident of Heritage Assisted Living in Las Cruces, as well as another man in his 90s from Doña Ana County.
The deaths brought the statewide fatality total Saturday to 800, with 46 of those occurring in Doña Ana County.
New Mexico's cumulative case count went to 26,048, with 2,944 from Doña Ana County - including 12 new infections reported Saturday.
The state “has made great progress in the fight against Covid-19," but the holiday weekend will be a key to keeping spread of the virus low and to ensuring that students can return safely to school this year, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a statement.
“I ask New Mexicans to please not let their guard down — continue wearing masks and avoiding gatherings," the governor added. “Just one large gathering can lead to hundreds of Covid-19 cases and affect an entire community’s health and safety ..."
Specific practices recommended by state officials including celebrating outside and keeping celebrations within households. Also, wearing a mask, washing hands and staying six feet (two meters) apart.
Grisham announced earlier in the week that she was easing New Mexico's self-quarantine requirements for some interstate travelers in advance of the Labor Day holiday and allowing hotels to accept more guests if they undergo certification for coronavirus precautions.
Below you can see county-by-county data for virus cases and deaths across New Mexico. The data comes from Johns Hopkins University, so the numbers may sometimes vary a bit from what's reported by the state health department.
