Eight more cases of COVID-19 reported in county

A record-tying eight confirmed cases of coronavirus were reported Thursday in Quay County during another record-breaking day in New Mexico.

The county’s total tied a record mark set Nov. 11. A total of 62 cases have been reported in the county in November alone. Three deaths have occurred in Quay County since the pandemic began, including one reported Wednesday.

The latest cases in the county were seven in the Tucumcari ZIP code and one in the Logan ZIP code, according to the state Department of Health website. Six males and two females were confirmed with the virus. The age breakdown was one under age 10, three age 20 to 29, one age 30 to 39, one age 50 to 59, one age 60 to 69 and one age 70 to 79.

The total number of cases in the county since the pandemic began rose to 169.

The breakdown by ZIP code is 117 in Tucumcari, 39 in Logan, five in San Jon, four in House, three in McAlister and one in Grady (part of which extends into the county).

According to the state’s COVID-19 rapid-response database, referrals were sent Wednesday regarding one confirmed COVID-19 case with an employee at Flying J Travel Plaza and two at the city of Tucumcari’s water department. Entities must follow health protocols with such referrals.

In the state, the DOH on Thursday reported 3,675 cases, exceeding the day’s previous record by more than 700. The total number since the pandemic began surpassed 74,000.

A total of 1,122 cases were reported Thursday in Bernalillo County, with 502 in Dona Ana County.

Hospitalizations from COVID-19 stood at 774 on Thursday.

In Amarillo, more than 6,300 active cases of the virus were reported Thursday by the city's public health department, with a 38% hospitalization rate.

In the U.S., more than 11.6 million confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported through Thursday since the pandemic began, with more than 251,000 deaths.

During a weekly health briefing Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced she would call a one-day special session Tuesday of the New Mexico Legislature in an effort to send aid to businesses and people besieged by the pandemic.

When asked to elaborate, Lujan Grisham said much of the aid would come from $300 million in federal CARES Act funds. She said it would be grants to businesses, housing and unemployment assistance. She said she planned to have aid grants “out the door” by the following Monday.