State reports 3 new COVID-19 deaths, 167 daily cases

State health officials on Monday announced three more New Mexico residents have died from COVID-19 and 167 people have tested positive.

One of the fatalities was a man in his 20s from San Juan County. A San Juan man in his 80s also died, along with a man in his 50s from Lea County.

Santa Fe County had just two new cases Monday.

There were 15 New Mexico patients hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19.

Daily case counts and deaths have declined as the state has ramped up his coronavirus vaccination program, due to increases in vaccine shipments from the federal government.

State Department of Health data shows that as of Monday, 38.8 percent of New Mexico residents 16 and older have had at least one shot of vaccine, including 23.6 percent of the population that is fully vaccinated. Providers have administered more than 97,000 shots in the last seven days.

Nearly 60 percent of the 762,000 people in the state registered for the vaccine have had at least one shot or are scheduled for a shot, according to the state Department of Health.

More than three-quarters of residents over 75 have had at least

one shot or are scheduled for a shot, and more than 70 percent of people with chronic health conditions have received or are scheduled for at least a first shot.

As New Mexico prepares to fully reopen its public schools, 83 percent of teachers have been inoculated or are scheduled for vaccination. The state announced last week it was widening its eligibility guidelines to people 60 and older and all essential workers.