NMDOH says three Eddy County residents died from COVID-19 during Thanksgiving holiday

Mike Smith, Carlsbad Current-Argus
·2 min read

The death of three Eddy County residents were attributed to COVID-19 and reported to the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) during the Thanksgiving holiday.

The death of a woman in her 30s who was hospitalized with underlying medical conditions at the time of her death; a man in his 50s who was hospitalized with underlying medical conditions at the time of his death; and a man in his 70s all died from the virus Nov. 25 through Nov. 29, read a DOH news release.

DOH said 216 COVID-19 deaths were reported in Eddy County between January and November.

More: Energy companies start new campaign for COVID-19 vaccinations in New Mexico and Texas

Seventy-six new COVID-19 cases were reported in Eddy County during Thanksgiving weekend and 33 on Nov. 30. Total cases in Eddy County were 11,699 as of Nov. 30.

Artesia General Hospital’s (AGH) website stated Carlsbad had 7,338 total COVID-19 cases and Artesia had 3,513 as of Nov. 30.

DOH data indicated 127,193 people were tested for COVID-19 in Eddy County as of Nov. 30 and 10,769 had recovered from the virus.

Eddy County’s cases per 100,000 were 40.50 from Nov. 16 through Nov. 29 and the positivity rate was 13.49 percent, according to DOH.

Carlsbad Municipal School's drive-thru testing site at Edison Elementary School opened on Nov. 30 2021.
Carlsbad Municipal School's drive-thru testing site at Edison Elementary School opened on Nov. 30 2021.

Eddy County’s positivity rate was 11.34 percent and the cases per 100,000 was 44.90 during the reporting period of Nov. 9 through Nov. 99, per DOH figures.

The Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) calculated total new cases over a seven day period for every 100,000 people, and positivity rates referred to the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests in a county over a seven-day period, read the CDC’s website.

Ten Eddy County residents were hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, read AGH’s website. One patient was being treated in Artesia's hospital for the virus as of Nov. 30.

Six Eddy County residents were on ventilators as of Nov. 30.

More: Eddy County's COVID-19 positives and infections continue to increase

Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway said the Carlsbad Municipal Schools (CMS) offered drive-thru COVID-19 testing for staff and students at the former Edison School at 406 North Alameda from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Registration can be found at carlsbadschools.net.

Janway said COVID-19 tests were offered Monday at the Walter Gerrells Civic Center and a self-administered shallow nasal test was offered Tuesday mornings in Room 150 at New Mexico State University Carlsbad. Janway said people may register at https://curative.com/sites/33384/walkup.

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: Three COVID-19 deaths in Eddy County during Thanksgiving holiday