15 confirmed cases reported

The New Mexico Department of Health on Sunday reported 13 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Quay County, all in the Tucumcari ZIP code.

The age breakdown of the confirmed cases in the county was one age 9 and younger, three age 10 to 19, one age 20 to 29, one age 30 to 39, two age 40 to 49, one age 50 to 59, two age 60 to 69 and two age 70 to 79. Seven females and six males were infected.

Two more cases were reported Monday in the county, both in the Tucumcari area. Two men were infected – one 40 to 49 years old; the other 50 to 59.

Quay County continued to see a high rate of COVID-19 cases in December, with 37 so far. A total of 140 cases were reported in the county in November.

The total number of cases in the county since the pandemic began rose to 284, with five deaths. A total of 90 people have been deemed by the state as recovered from the virus.

The latest breakdown by ZIP code since the pandemic began is 216 in Tucumcari, 46 in Logan, seven in House, six in San Jon, four in McAlister, two in Nara Visa, two in Bard and one in Grady (part of which extends into the county).

According to the state’s COVID-19 rapid-response database, confirmed cases were reported at these entities in the past week:

• Tucumcari Public Schools, one case reported Dec. 1;

• Denny’s restaurant, Tucumcari, one case reported Friday;

• Lowe’s Market, Tucumcari, one case reported Friday.

A typical rapid response consists of isolating positive cases, quarantining close contacts for 14 days, ceasing operations to the extent necessary to isolate affected areas, disinfecting these areas, implementing safety procedures and resuming operations. Typically, operations are ceased for fewer than 24 hours before it is safe to reopen.

In the state, the DOH on Monday reported 1,872 cases. The total number in New Mexico since the pandemic began rose to nearly 110,000.

A total of seven deaths were reported Monday in New Mexico, raising the total to 1,756. That matched the lowest daily total since Nov. 15.

A total of 935 people in the state were hospitalized with the disease Monday, an increase of 16 from the previous day.

The Amarillo area reported on Monday more than 7,700 active cases of the disease, with a 36% hospitalization rate.

In the U.S., more than 14.9 million confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported through Monday since the pandemic began, with more than 283,000 deaths.