Six confirmed cases reported in Quay

State health officials reported six confirmed cases of coronavirus Friday in Quay County after a mostly quiet week.

All the cases were reported in the Logan ZIP code.

After reporting no cases since late May, two were reported in the county on June 7 — also in Logan — along with the six on Friday.

The breakdown of COVID-19 cases by ZIP code in Quay County through Friday was 369 in Tucumcari, 102 in Logan, 23 in San Jon, 11 in House, nine in McAlister, four in Nara Visa, five in Grady (part of which extends into Quay County), and four in Bard.

The overall total in the county through Friday stood at 526, with 10 deaths.

A total of 494 people were deemed by the state Department of Health to have recovered from the disease.

No COVID-19 rapid responses were recorded at Quay County entities last week.

In New Mexico, 130 new COVID-19 cases were reported Friday, bringing the overall total to more than 204,000 since the pandemic began.

Two COVID-19 deaths were reported in the state Friday, raising the total at 4,297.

A total of 93 people were hospitalized in New Mexico with the disease Friday, a decrease of about 10 from the previous week.

The Amarillo metro region on Friday totaled 227 active cases of the disease — a decrease of about 85 in one week. The hospitalization rate was 4.05%, a drop of about two percentage points.

In the U.S., more than 33.4 million people have been confirmed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, with more than 599,000 deaths, through Friday.

Vaccinations

Meanwhile, vaccinations in Quay County continued to tick up slowly.

According to Department of Health data, 36.3% of county residents were fully vaccinated on Friday, an increase of 0.2% from the previous week.

The proportion of residents with at least one shot was 40.6%, also an increase of 0.2% from the previous span.

Area health officials say vaccination rates probably are underreported in Quay County and other eastern border counties because some residents receive their health care in Texas. States generally do not share individual vaccination data with other states, a state DOH spokesman previously said.

C. Renee Hayoz, administrator of the Quay County Family Health Center, said her clinic administered just three doses of soon-to-expire Johnson & Johnson vaccine in two hours on June 8 at Love’s Travel Center. She said 100-degree heat dissuaded vaccinations and that people still are leery of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because of extremely rare blood clots associated with it.

Hayoz said her clinic administered 30 more doses of Modern vaccine last week and has ordered 100 more.

The Quay County Public Health Office administered six vaccinations last week during its weekly event at the Tucumcari Convention Center. It will continue to hold vaccination events there each Wednesday.

Trigg Memorial Hospital didn’t administer any vaccinations last week but is scheduled to give 20 booster shots of the Moderna vaccine this week.

Statewide, the full vaccination rate inched up to 57.6% through Friday. State officials said they would lift the red-to-turquoise framework once the state reaches the 60% level. That has been anticipated to happen in late June.

On Sunday, the DOH announced a $100 incentive for New Mexico residents who receive the Johnson & Johnson shot or a vaccine booster through Thursday. State officials want to hit the 60% goal by that day so the state can reopen its economy by July 1. Full vaccinations need two weeks after they're administered to achieve full efficacy.

To qualify for the $100, New Mexicans must bring these items to their appointments:

• Proof of residency (e.g. an identification card, pay stub or utility bill);

• Those who receive a second Pfizer or Moderna shot must provide a CDC vaccine card or other proof of vaccination they have received a primary shot. New Mexicans can locate their vaccination records at vaxviewnm.org.

New Mexicans will receive $100 either on-site or at their home addresses.