Tracking coronavirus cases

The most recent case at a business in Taos County was one positive at Imery’s in Tres Piedras reported Oct. 6.

In September, cases were reported at El Centro Family Health on Gusdorf Road on Sept. 22, Aceq Restaurant in Arroyo Seco on Sept. 17 and Mesa’s Edge in Taos on Sept. 13.

The state requires businesses, government offices and schools to report positive coronavirus cases to the New Mexico Environment Department. The state Public Education Department also sends out daily reports of positive cases at schools among staff and students. So far, University of New MexicoTaos has reported two cases and Taos Municipal Schools has had one.

Of the 7,321 people tested at Holy Cross Medical Center through September, 80 were positive and 11 needed to be hospitalized, according to an Oct. 1 update from the hospital in Taos. Results from 255 tests were pending. From Sept. 2 - 24 the hospital reported 14 positives among people tested at the facility. One was from Angel Fire, one from North Carolina, one from Texas and the rest were Taos residents.

The greatest rise in cases in the last two months has been in Taos and El Prado. Taos had 34 reported cases at the beginning of August, which rose to 55 cases by Oct. 6.

El Prado’s cases went from 12 in early August to 22 cases in early October. Ranchos de Taos zip code area saw an increase from 19 to 24 cases. Angel Fire has not had a new reported case since late July and Taos Ski Valley remains steady at four cases, unchanged since

early July.

By age and gender in Taos County, more than half the cases have been among women and the greatest number of positives have been among those 20-29 years of age, followed by those in the 30-39 age range.

More than 960,000 people in

New Mexico have been tested since March for the virus that causes the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Of those more than 30,000 have been positive, with varying impacts from no symptoms at all to severe respiratory illness and lasting fatigue.

Nearly 900 New Mexicans have

died from complications related to COVID-19, including four people from Taos County.

COURTESY PHOTO In March, Kathyleen Kunkel, secretary, New Mexico Department of Health, and Dr. David R. Scrase, secretary, Department of Human Services, discussed next steps in addressing an outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in the state. The state took action early to limit travel and require masks, helping reduce the rate of spread of the virus.