State reported 257 new COVID-19 cases Friday

COVID-19 cases continue to surge in New Mexico with the state on Friday reporting its second highest total since the pandemic began.

The state announced 257 positive cases, up nine from Thursday, according to state Department of Health statistics. The highest number of cases since the onset of the pandemic is 330, recorded on June 5 with a high number coming from an outbreak at the Otero County prison.

New Mexico has now had a total of 12,776 COVID-19 cases. According to a release by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office, 5,802 have recovered.

Eight deaths were reported Friday, an increase of five from Thursday and the most since June 19, when eight also died. That brings the state’s death toll to 511.

The deaths were:

■ A woman in her 90s from Doña ■ Ana County. She was a resident of the Jim Wood Home in Hatch.

■ A man in his 40s from McKinley County, who was hospitalized.

■ A man in his 50s from McKinley County, who was hospitalized and had underlying health conditions.

■ A woman in her 80s from McKinley County, who had underlying conditions and was a resident of the Red Rocks Care Center in Gallup.

■ Two men in their 80s from McKinley County. Both were hospitalized and had underlying conditions.

■ A man in his 50s who was held by federal agencies at the Otero County prison facility.

■ A male in his 50s from San Juan County, who was hospitalized and had underlying conditions.

A large number of the new cases came from two of the state’s largest population centers and counties hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak in the Navajo Nation. Bernalillo County reported 55 new cases, McKinley County 42, Doña Ana County 40, and San Juan County 23. Sandoval County had 12 new cases and Luna County had 11.

There were also 11 new cases among individuals held by federal agencies at the Torrance County Detention Facility.

There were 130 individuals hospitalized with the coronavirus in the state.