NM governor may rollback openings, says no trick-or-treat or fall sports; Doña Ana sees 60th virus death
SANTA FE, New Mexico -- Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday cited "dramatic increases" in the state’s Covid-19 infection rate as she indicated she would now consider whether to rollback business openings or institute a curfew to help stem the tide.
"Our goal is not to have to do any of that," she said in an afternoon briefing from the governor’s mansion where she’s in quarantine after potential exposure to an infected custodian.
But the governor added she may have no choice next week if the positivity rate (currently 9.7%) and other key criteria don't improve.
"We are at extreme risk of uncontrollable spread," Lujan Grisham warned, noting recent rises in the state's rapid response efforts to deal with outbreaks at restaurants and retail shops.
The governor said the only way to get the spread under control is for New Mexicans to "triple-down" by wearing a mask, limiting travel, and following Covid-safe practices.
Lujan Grisham also announced the state would not be allowing schools to play fall sports. The directive affects student athletes involved in golf, volleyball and cross country whose seasons will now be postponed to the spring.
In addition, the governor and her cabinet advised no trick-or-treating, parties or haunted houses should take place for Halloween in New Mexico; such activities are not allowed under Centers for Disease Control guidelines.
New Mexico reported 387 new cases on Thursday, significantly above the state's 7-day rolling average of 233, and totaling 31,756 to date. Doña Ana County had 57 of those new cases for a cumulative count of 3,839.
There were also three new deaths across the state, including a woman in her 50s from Doña Ana County who had been hospitalized. The state's death tally rose to 899, with 60 of those occurring in Doña Ana County.
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.
