Eddy County COVID-19 rolling average falls before start of MLK weekend

Mike Smith, Carlsbad Current-Argus
·3 min read

Eddy County’s COVID-19 seven-day rolling average peaked at 97 Jan. 11 and fell significantly before the start of the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, read data from the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH).

In a Jan. 14, news release, DOH said data from the three-day holiday weekend would be released on Jan. 18.

Eddy County’s seven-day rolling average dipped to 89 on Jan. 12 and 69 Jan. 14, according to statistics from DOH.

John Hopkins University defined the seven-day rolling average as the average of COVID-19 cases during a seven-day period.

According to the COVID Act Now website, COVID-19 was listed as severe in Eddy County. The County averaged 147.1 new cases per 100,000 as of Jan. 17 and a positivity test rate of 17.2 percent.

Formed in 2020, the COVID Act Now website was designed “to help people make informed decisions by providing timely and accurate data about COVID in the U.S.,” the website stated.

COVID-19 cases increased in younger age Eddy County age demographics according to DOH as of Jan. 14.

More: Eddy County's COVID-19 positivity rate increases during holiday season

More than 1,000 Eddy County children 0 through 9 years old had COVID-19 like symptoms, according to DOH.

Figures increased to 1,883 in the 10 through 19 age category and increased to 2,269 for those aged 20 to 29.

For people aged 30 through 39, DOH cited 2,473 cases. As Eddy County’s population aged, the numbers fell to 115 for those 90 years and older.

A doctor loads a dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine into a syringe.
A doctor loads a dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine into a syringe.

The day before the three-day weekend started, DOH said 132 new COVID-19 cases were cited in Eddy County.

As of Jan. 14, Eddy County had 13,642 total cases with 142,268 total tests. Nearly 12,000 people recovered from COVID-19 in Eddy County, per DOH.

Eddy County recorded one COVID-19 death before the start of the three-day weekend. A woman in her 40s was hospitalized with underlying medical conditions, read a DOH news release.

More: Carlsbad Municipal Schools testing site temporarily closed after staff tested positive for COVID-19

As of Jan. 14, 238 Eddy County residents died from COVID-19 since the first deaths were reported in 2020.

Artesia General Hospital did not release figures on the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Eddy County as of Jan. 14.

In a news release, DOH said 586 people were hospitalized as of Jan. 14 across New Mexico.

A COVID-19 nasal swab test.
A COVID-19 nasal swab test.

“This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico. This number does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state,” the release stated.

Eddy County remained behind in New Mexico in COVID-19 vaccinations as of Jan. 17, per DOH data.

In New Mexico, 90 percent of New Mexicans had at least one dose and 76 percent had both vaccinations.

DOH said at least 39 percent of New Mexicans received a booster dose.

Booster doses were not available for Eddy County from DOH. Nearly 70 percent of Eddy County residents had one COVID-19 dose and 56 percent received both doses, read DOH figures.

More: Eddy County behind state in COVID-19 vaccinations. Cases spike New Year's weekend

Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Seven day COVID-19 rolling average peaks and falls in Eddy County