Nearby areas hit hard by coronavirus

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Quay County remained at four Monday, but two areas to the east and west along Interstate 40 continued to be hit hard by the disease.

East of Tucumcari, Amarillo’s mayor announced Saturday the federal government would send a COVID-19 task force to fight the spread of the disease there. The team was scheduled to arrive early this week.

Amarillo’s public health department on Monday reported more than 1,000 active cases of COVID-19 in the metro area that includes Potter and Randall counties.

Nearly 400 cases also were reported in Moore County, north of Amarillo.

Many of the coronavirus cases in the Texas Panhandle have occurred in meat-packing plants.

To the west, New Mexico’s governor on Friday ordered a lockdown of Gallup; McKinley County reported more than 1,200 cases of COVID-19 through Monday afternoon. More than 200 cases were reported during a two-day period before the order. The lockdown later was extended to Thursday.

McKinley County, which has a large Native American population, contains more confirmed cases than anyplace in the state. Gallup’s former and current mayors requested Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to invoke the state’s Riot Control Act to so state police officers and National Guardsmen could close all roads leading into the city except for through-traffic on I-40. A curfew and other restrictions were announced. The Navajo Nation’s president supported the order.

In New Mexico, the total number of cases grew by 186 on Monday to a total of 4,031. Five more deaths were reported, bringing the total to 156.

The total number of hospitalizations grew to 181 in New Mexico. A total of 842 have recovered from the disease.

In the U.S., more than 1.1 million confirmed cases have been reported, with more than 68,000 deaths.

More cancellations

On Sunday, organizers announced “with heavy hearts” the postponement of the annual Rattler Reunion slated for August until next year.

They announced tentative dates of Aug. 5-7, 2021, would combine celebrations of certain classes from the 2020 event.

It was the third major event in Tucumcari canceled or postponed this summer. Organizers recently announced the cancellation of Tucumcari Rawhide Days, scheduled for this month, and the New Mexico Music Showcase, slated for June. All those events received financial aid from the city’s Lodgers Tax Advisory Board.