San Juan County outbreak heads state's COVID-19 report

Phill Casaus, The Santa Fe New Mexican
·1 min read

Oct. 18—Rising cases in San Juan County — an area that has ridden the coronavirus roller coaster throughout the crisis — headlined the state's COVID-19 report on a day when the Department of Health announced it is implementing crisis care standards.

San Juan County, centered by the city of Farmington in far northwestern New Mexico, reported 384 news cases for the period beginning Saturday and ending Monday. Its numbers led the state, ahead of even Bernalillo County, by far the state's most populous area.

According to the state, San Juan County's positivity rate is 15.54. Santa Fe County's rate is 4.41.

In all, New Mexico reported 1,895 cases and 12 additional deaths Monday.

Santa Fe County reported 69 cases, with Rio Arriba County adding 50 and Los Alamos County 14.

Three of the deaths reported Monday were in Curry County on the state's east side. The dead ranged in ages from their 30s to their 80s. Since the crisis began in March 2020, New Mexico has suffered 4,942 deaths.

The state said 300 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.

According to the state's COVID-19 dashboard, 71.6 percent of the state's residents 18 and over have been fully vaccinated. Just over 5 percent have received a booster shot. Eighty-one percent have received at least one dose.