Six more COVID-19 cases reported Monday in Tucumcari

The New Mexico Department of Health on Monday reported six more cases of COVID-19 in Quay County, all in the Tucumcari ZIP code.

The agency has reported 16 coronavirus cases in the Tucumcari area in three days. Quay County has recorded 28 cases in November alone.

According to the DOH's website, the latest cases were four males and two females. The age breakdowns were one age 9 and under, one age 10 to 19, two age 30 to 39, one age 50 to 59 and one age 70 to 79,

The total number of cases in the county grew to 135, with two deaths, since the pandemic began.

The breakdown in the county by ZIP code since the pandemic began is 89 in Tucumcari, 36 in Logan, five in San Jon, three in McAlister, one in House and one in Grady.

The county is certain to flunk the school-reopening criteria set by the state. The benchmark for Quay County allows up to 10 cases in a two week period; the county has recorded 36 with several days left. The test-positivity benchmark is 5%; Quay County’s rate is nearly 13%.

During the previous two-week reporting period, only eight counties in New Mexico landed in the coveted green zone from the criteria. With cases skyrocketing statewide, fewer likely will be in the green when new evaluations are announced Wednesday or Thursday.

On Thursday, the state's COVID-19 rapid-response database reported a referral for one confirmed case with an employee at the Quay County Detention Center in Tucumcari.

On Saturday, the database reported referrals to one confirmed case each at Arch Hurley Conservancy District and Head Start, all in Tucumcari.

Such entities are required to follow health protocols when a case is reported.

The state's database also reported a confirmed case with Sunrise Medical Group in Quay County but at a Santa Rosa address. Dr. Randall Brown of Sunrise said the employee is a subcontractor with the firm who works at Tucumcari Public Schools and does not work at the Sunrise offices.

On Monday, a record total of 1,418 cases of coronavirus were reported in New Mexico. Bernalillo County had 464 cases, and Dona Ana County recorded 201.

New Mexico's seven-day rolling average of cases rose to well over 1,000, far past the gating criteria of 168.

New Mexico's overall case total since the pandemic started soared past the 56,000 mark.

A record total of 12 deaths were reported in the state Monday, bringing that total to 1,130.

A total of 423 people in New Mexico are hospitalized with the virus. As of Monday, 82% of general beds at New Mexico hospitals are occupied, and 66% of intensive-care beds of the state's hospitals are occupied. This includes patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and other illnesses.

The public health department for the Amarillo region reported more than 5,400 active cases on Monday, with a hospitalization rate of 31.8%.

In the U.S., a total of 10 million confirmed cases of the disease were reported Monday, with more than 238,000 deaths.