COVID-19 cases rise in Eddy County as State public health order ends March 31
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COVID-19 cases rose in Eddy County as a state mandated public health order issued nearly three years ago expired, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Eddy County’s COVID-19 positivity rate was 12.40 percent during the March 28, 2023 to April 10, 2023 reporting period, and the cases per 100,000 people was six, according to data from the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH).
Eddy County’s positivity rate and COVID-19 cases per 100,000 were the highest in southeast New Mexico during the late March to early April period.
Cases per 100,000 people and positivity rates were low in Chaves, Lincoln, Lea and Otero counties, according to NMDOH data.
More: Senior citizens activities return to Eddy County after COVID-19 pandemic pauses
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted average daily cases are the average number of cases per the past seven days, and cases per 100,000 people measure the average daily cases per 100,000 people in each county.
NMDOH defined the positivity rate as the percentage of tests that are positive during a 14-day period.
Since 2020, Eddy County had 19,375 cumulative COVID-19 cases as of April 20. The number of COVID-19 tests administered in Eddy County was 196,283 as of April 20, and as of April 13 there were 328 deaths related to COVID-19 in Eddy County.
Carlsbad Medical Center had seen very little in COVID-19 positivity as of Friday, said Spokesperson Melissa Suggs.
"We currently have only one COVID positive inpatient, and we are administering very few tests. At this time, we are not requiring visitors to wear masks inside the hospital," she said.
Eddy County's other hospital, Artesia General Hospital did not hospitalization data as of Friday.
Whitney Marquez, spokesperson for Lovelace Health Systems, said Lovelace Regional Hospital in Roswell did not have a surge of COVID-19 patients from Eddy County as of Friday.
More details on the end of statewide public health emergency
In early March Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the public health emergency issued in March of 2020 would be allowed to expire March 31.
She said New Mexico was still dealing with COVID-19 cases but preparation and collaboration with other agencies turned the public health emergency into a manageable situation.
“We are working diligently across state agencies to make sure New Mexicans continue to be supported as federal COVID programs wind down,” said Lujan Grisham in the press release.
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New Mexico declared a public health emergency at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020, as the state has aligned its emergency orders with the federal government to ensure every available resource was utilized in the state’s COVID-19 response, the press release stated.
The governor reminded New Mexicans of the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations.
“I urge all New Mexicans, and particularly those who are older or who have compromised immune systems, to get vaccinated or get their booster shots if they have not done so already,” said Lujan Grisham.
As of April 11, 1.5 million New Mexicans had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 booster. Over 1.3 million received both shots and 393,000 received the Omicron booster.
In Eddy County 65.7 percent of residents received at least one COVID-19 vaccination as of April 11. Nearly 60 percent received both doses and 8.3 percent had the Omicron booster, per NMDOH.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: COVID 19 cases rise in Eddy County as New Mexico public health order ends
