Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Quay County recorded five more coronavirus cases on Friday, continuing a trend that represents one of the worst spikes of the disease in New Mexico.
According to data from the state’s Department of Health, four of the confirmed cases were in the Tucumcari ZIP code and one was in Logan.
Since May 4, a total of 20 cases have been reported in the county. In the April 19 to May 3 period, Quay County had the second-worst daily case rate in New Mexico (only San Juan County was worse) and the worst test-positivity rate in the state.
Since mid-April, Quay County has recorded more than 50 cases of COVID-19. A total of 24 were in Logan, 21 in Tucumcari and 11 in San Jon.
The outbreaks have prompted those school districts to enact large quarantines or pause in-person instruction. Logan announced last week its middle school and high school would go to remote learning until May 17.
Many of the local cases have occurred in school-age children, as vaccinations have not been been cleared for persons under age 16. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration anticipates approving vaccines for children age 2 and up by September.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Quay County rose to 485 since the pandemic began last spring, with eight deaths.
The breakdown of COVID-19 cases by ZIP code in Quay County through Friday was 350 in Tucumcari, 85 in Logan, 19 in San Jon, 10 in House, nine in McAlister, four in Nara Visa, four in Grady (part of which extends into Quay County), and three in Bard.
A total of 418 people in the county have been deemed as recovered from the virus.
These recent COVID-19 rapid responses were recorded at Quay County entities, according to the state’s database:
• Logan Municipal Schools, two cases reported April 30;
• Trigg Memorial Hospital, two cases reported April 30;
• Russell’s Travel Center, Endee, one case reported May 2;
• Family Dollar, Tucumcari, one case reported May 3;
• San Jon Public Schools, one case reported May 3;
• Logan Municipal Schools, one case reported May 4;
• Logan High School, one case reported May 6.
A typical rapid response consists of isolating positive cases, quarantining close contacts, 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 New Mexico, a total of 285 new COVID-19 cases were reported Friday, bringing the overall total to more than 199,000 since the pandemic began.
The state’s seven-day rolling average of cases was 155 through Friday, which was about the same as the previous week.
Nine COVID-19 deaths were reported in the state Friday, raising the total at 4,098.
A total of 145 people were hospitalized in New Mexico with the disease Friday, the same as the previous week. That number remained well below the winter peak of more than 900.
The Amarillo metro region on Friday totaled 457 active cases of the disease — an increase of almost 50 in one week. The hospitalization rate was 2.56%, which remained stable.
In the U.S., more than 32.6 million people have been confirmed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, with more than 580,000 deaths, through Friday.