COVID cases decrease 76 percent in Taos County
Cases continue declining nationally
The COVID-19 case rate has decreased by 76 percent throughout Taos County (cases per 100,000 people per week) this past week. Meanwhile, the state has seen a 36 percent drop in cases. Currently, New Mexico has its lowest case rate since the Delta variant hit the county and the state in August 2021, according to Town of Taos GIS Analyst Tim Corner.
“Last week, saw continued improvements in case counts and hospitalizations in the U.S., New Mexico and Taos County,” said Corner in an email. “Improvements in the daily death count have been slower to materialize in New Mexico and remain just above 10 per day.”
In Taos County, the seven-dayaverage daily case count decreased to 140 from 220 the previous week. The total number of cases in the county is now at 5,294.
No additional deaths were reported among Taos County residents in the past week, leaving the total number of deaths at 89. There have been 16 COVID-related deaths in Taos County in 2022. The last person to die of COVID in the county was a woman in her 70s who had underlying conditions.
The average deaths per day is now at 11, down from 13 the previous week. Hospitalizations are also down 27 percent, with the sevenday-average currently at 115.
Across New Mexico, only two counties saw an increase in cases (Mora County and Valencia County). Taos County had the seventh lowest case rate in the state. The southeast region continues to see the lowest rates. “The CDC considers the level of COVID-19 to be ‘low’ in all counties in New Mexico with the exception of Cibola, which had the highest case rate in the state on March 17,” Corner said. “At the low level, the CDC does not recommend masking in public indoor spaces.”
The New Mexico Department of Health reports that the state has seen more than 515,000 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March 2020, with a death toll of 7,116. The CDC reports that more than 964,000 people have died in the U.S. due to COVID-19.
Taos County residents (aged 18+) remain 89 percent fully vaccinated, 99 percent partially vaccinated and 59 percent boosted, according to Corner. For the state as a whole, 78 percent are fully vaccinated, 92 percent are partially vaccinated and 45 percent have received a booster shot. For younger New Mexicans (aged 12–17), 62 percent are fully vaccinated and 71 percent are partially vaccinated. Corner said 31 percent of children aged 5-11 have been fully vaccinated, and 39 percent have been partially vaccinated.
To get vaccinated, or sign up to get a booster shot, go to www.vaccinenm.org.
The New Mexico Department of Health has begun changing how they release data concerning COVID, and will no longer be producing daily press releases or holding weekly press conferences. Data will still be available on their website, cvprovider.nmhealth.org/ public-dashboard.html.