Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Quay County’s number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose from three to six last week after a long period of low and stable numbers.
Average daily case numbers and hospitalizations in New Mexico of coronavirus also increased for a third straight week, according to New Mexico Department of Health data.
The COVID Act Now website kept Quay County’s risk rating for community spread of the disease at “low.” However, Quay County’s rate of new cases jumped to 72.7 cases per 100,000 people last week, compared to 18.2 the previous week.
The total number of coronavirus cases in Quay County since the pandemic began in spring 2020 rose to 2,386 at the end of last week.
The breakdown of total COVID-19 cases by ZIP code in Quay County through Friday was 1,828 in Tucumcari, 337 in Logan, 111 in San Jon, 41 in House, 27 in McAlister, 21 in Nara Visa and 20 in Bard since the pandemic began more than two years ago.
The new cases last week were reported in the Tucumcari and Logan ZIP codes.
One confirmed COVID-19 death in Quay County was reported last week, raising the death toll to 69 since the pandemic began more than two years ago.
A total of 437 new cases of coronavirus were reported Friday in New Mexico. That raised the total since the pandemic began to more than 624,000.
New Mexico’s seven-day daily case rate rose to 321 by Friday, the third straight week the rate had increased. The rate was 266 during the previous week.
Higher case rates in New Mexico were reflected in several counties, including Quay County’s neighbors of Harding, Union and De Baca counties. The three rose to “medium” or “high” risk of community spread of the disease.
A total of 115 people were hospitalized in New Mexico with the disease Friday, an increase of nearly 30 from the previous week.
A total of nine COVID-19 deaths were reported in the state Friday, raising the pandemic’s overall total to 8,620.
In the Amarillo metro region, the total number of active cases on Friday continued its weeks-long decline. The total that day was 417, compared to 483 a week ago.
The disease has killed 1,310 people in the Amarillo metro since the pandemic began more than two years ago.
In the U.S., about 96.9 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed since the pandemic began, with more than 1.06 million deaths, on Saturday.
The New Mexico Department of Health’s vaccination helpline is available at 855-600-3453, option 3, or by going to vaccinenm.org.
The Department of Health recommends COVID-19 drugs for those who have contracted the disease in its early stages and are at high risk for serious illness. These drugs are effective at preventing hospitalization and death but must be taken within days of the first symptom. More information on finding these treatments can be found at FindATreatmentNM.com.