COVID hospitalizations double in past month

COVID-19 hospitalizations in New Mexico reached 148 patients Monday — more than twice as many as a month ago.

Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis also reported a spike in COVID-related patients: Hospital Director Jorge Cruz said Tuesday the facility had 12 patients with the virus, including two in intensive care and one pediatric patient.

Cruz said seven COVID patients were hospitalized in Clovis on Friday, up from four on July 27 and two on July 22.

Cruz said no COVID-related deaths have occurred in the hospital the past week.

The increase in patients — most of them unvaccinated -- comes as the highly contagious delta variant fuels a surge of new cases in New Mexico and other states. Health officials across the nation continued to urge residents to be vaccinated while multiple government agencies and private businesses continued to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Major retailers also are requiring customers wear masks and New York City announced plans to require diners and others provide proof of vaccination.

Monday's hospitalization total in New Mexico represents a 121% increase since July 2. The last day with more hospitalizations was in late May.

The state's Department of Health announced 1,076 new cases of the disease over the last three days.

Locally, Curry and Roosevelt counties reported 73 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, with 43 in Curry and 30 in Roosevelt.

The state also reported four more deaths, including a Curry County man in his 70s who had been hospitalized with underlying conditions.

The state on Monday reported 13 long-term care faculties with at least one positive COVID-19 case among residents and/or staff in the last 28 days. The list includes Good Life Senior Living in Portales, which was first reported by the DOH July 26.

Regional Texas cities also are reporting increases in cases.

In Amarillo, Monday marked the fifth consecutive day officials with the public health department reported triple-digit increases of total cases in Potter-Randall counties.

New Mexico ranks middle of the pack for new cases per capita over the past seven days — No. 29 among states, at 72 daily cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC.

In other COVID-19 developments:

• The New Mexico Department of Health on Monday launched its second round of $100 COVID-19 vaccine incentives through its Stay Ahead New Mexico Program.

Through August, all New Mexicans 12 and over who receive a COVID-19 vaccine are eligible for a $100 incentive — a first or second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Incentives are limited to one per person.

To be eligible for the incentive, New Mexicans will have to receive a vaccine Aug. 2-31 and opt in with an email, phone number, or home address at vaccineNM.org/stay-ahead. New Mexicans can also call 1-855-600-3453 for assistance with opting in. The state will verify vaccinations through the state's immunization information system.