Curry, Roosevelt counties remain in red zone

Both Curry and Roosevelt counties remain in the red under the state’s county-based reopening program, but decreasing infection rate in Roosevelt County have led to a reopening of county offices.

Effective Monday, the county’s clerk, treasurer and assessor offices will be open to the public. County personnel will provide services to the public in person, but will continue to offer service electronically, by phone or by appointment as needed by our residents.

“The treasurer’s office understands the frustration that ‘closed to the public’ has put on our residents as does all our county offices,” County Treasurer Layle Sanchez said in a county release. “The county is eager to reopen so we can better serve our friends and neighbors.”

Between Sunday and Friday, Roosevelt County had confirmed 32 cases and five of those days saw four or fewer new cases. Curry County, meanwhile, confirmed 96 cases, with a high of 30 on Monday and a low of eight on Thursday.

Red to Green

A total of six counties reached the “yellow” designation Wednesday for COVID-19 infection rates under the state’s Red to Green reopening plan.

Out of New Mexico’s 33 counties, 25 remain in the red designation. But state metrics indicate all but two counties have seen improvements on daily cases and test positivity rates.

Since Nov. 30, the state has given a color-coded designation based on the preceding two weeks of data and whether it reaches benchmarks of 8 daily cases per 100,000 residents and test positivity at or below 5%. Green counties meet both criteria, yellow counties meet one and red counties meet neither. Data was collected Jan. 12 through Monday.

Counties that moved into the yellow designation immediately saw their restriction on mass gatherings ease from five people and 10 vehicles to 10 people and 25 vehicles. Also, indoor dining is allowed at 25% capacity and outdoor dining is allowed at 75% capacity.

Curry County remained in the red, with 41.8 daily cases per 100,000 and test positivity of 9.9%. That is, however, an improvement from Jan. 13 results of 61.4 daily cases and 15.11% test positivity.

Roosevelt County nearly halved both of its metrics from Jan. 13. Roosevelt is as 32.7 daily cases per 100,000 and test positivity of 8.46%, compared to 62.4 and 19.27% two weeks prior.

Harding County, with no cases, remained in the green zone for the second-straight two-week period. Union County remained in the yellow, and was joined by Colfax, Grants, Los Alamos, San Miguel, Sierra and Socorro counties. All seven yellow counties reached the metric via test positivity.

Of the 25 counties above 5% test positivity, 16 of them are between 5.08% (Mora) and the 9.9% for Curry.

The next update will be posted by the state Feb. 10.

Friday update

The state confirmed a total of 1,085 COVID-19 cases on Friday, including 16 in Curry County and four in Roosevelt County.

One of the 22 deaths announced reported by the state was in Curry County, a female in her 70s who had underlying conditions and was a resident of St. Anthony Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center.

Thursday saw only 10 new cases reported — eight in Curry and two in Roosevelt — but three deaths. Two were Curry County males, one in his 80s and one in his 60s, and both were residents of Wheatfields Senior Living. Roosevelt County also reported a male in his 70s with underlying conditions.

Curry County has confirmed 61 deaths during the pandemic, including 16 in January.

Roosevelt County has confirmed 44 deaths, with January its deadliest month. The county, through Friday, has confirmed 17 COVID-19 deaths in January compared to 13 in December and 14 between June and November.

Rapid response watchlist

The Environment Department’s Rapid Response Watchlist included two local establishments among a list of 56 that have accumulated at least two rapid responses within 14 days.

The state initiates a rapid response when it learns of a positive COVID-19 case in a workplace. The state agency initiating the rapid response will offer direction to establishments regarding testing, quarantining and isolating, disinfecting, and COVID-safe practices.

The locations are BNSF Railway with three rapid responses and Dora Elementary with two.

An establishment that reaches four rapid responses inside 14 days is under consideration for a 14-day closure. However, no local establishment has been closed under such a directive despite exceeding the threshold.