COVID-19 infection rates not dropping

SANTA FE — Infection rates of COVID-19 are not dropping throughout the state, as the New Mexico Department of Health confirmed 2,335 new cases around the state over the weekend.

The state also announced 15 deaths, bringing the total past the 5,000 mark to 5,002.

Acting Health Secretary David Scrase noted most of the state's hospitalizations and deaths are among the unvaccinated. Of the 1,039 COVID-related deaths reported between Feb. 1 and Oct. 11, 967 were not vaccinated.

“This means that nearly 1,000 people in New Mexico have died who didn't need to die,” Scrase said. “If every eligible New Mexican got vaccinated, we could put an end to this pandemic.”

The deaths reported over the weekend included a Curry County male in his 70s who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions. The death was more than 30 days old, with the state noting delays sometimes occur due to incomplete information in death certificates.

The 2,335 cases marked the second-highest weekend total in October, ahead of Oct. 18 (1,895) and Oct. 4 (1,776). The state reported 2,433 cases on Oct. 12, but that report incorporated four days of testing results due to Indigenous Peoples' Day on Oct. 11.

The Monday report included 36 cases in Curry County and 10 in Roosevelt County.

Locally, case numbers have seen a decline over October. So far for the month, Curry County has recorded 255 cases of COVID-19, while Roosevelt County has recorded 122. Curry County recorded 869 cases in August and 741 in September, while Roosevelt County recorded 304 cases in August and 192 in September.