COVID cases up 100 percent in Taos

Taos County saw a 100 percent increase in its COVID-19 case rate (cases per 100,000 people per week) from the previous week. In New Mexico, cases were up 19 percent, while nationally, cases were up four percent during the same time period.

Taos County reported 112 new cases of COVID-19 from Oct. 26 – Nov. 1, compared to 56 new cases the week before, according to town of Taos GIS Analyst Tim Corner. The total number of cases in the county is now 2,495.

Two additional deaths were reported – a male in his 70s and a male in his 50s – bringing the total number of deaths in Taos County to 65.

Across New Mexico, 28 of 33 counties saw an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

The average daily case count increased to 946 cases per day last week, up from 797 the week before. Meanwhile, the average deaths per day in the state decreased to eight per day, with a high of 11 deaths on Sept. 16.

McKinley County, De Baca County and Grant County have the highest case rates in the state.

Every county in the state but Guadalupe County has high transmission rates (Guadalupe has a “moderate” transmission rate). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines high transmission as more than 100 new cases per 100,000 persons in the past seven days.

The New Mexico Department of Health reports that the state has seen more than 278,000 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March 2020, with a death toll of 5,073. The CDC reports that more than 745,000 people have died in the U.S. due to COVID-19.

Taos County residents (aged 18+) are 85 percent fully vaccinated and 95 percent partially vaccinated, according to Corner. For the state as a whole, 73 percent are fully vaccinated and 82 percent are partially vaccinated. 11 percent of New Mexicans have received a booster shot. For younger New Mexicans (aged 12–17), 54 percent are fully vaccinated and 63 percent are partially vaccinated.