(Photo : Reuters)

Fourteen new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in New Mexico and two highschool students and staff in Albuquerque are under self-quarantine. The confirmed cases include the aforementioned, an infant, and eight other people from Bernalillo County, and one each in Santa Fe, Lea, Sandoval, Dona Ana, and Taos counties. 

Schools affected with COVID-19

The Department of Health notified Albuquerque Public Schools of their ongoing investigation on a Del Norte High School student who they suspect to have coronavirus. Students and staff of the said school are recommended to self-isolate and immediately seek medical attention if any symptoms surfaced. 

Earlier this month, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham mandated the closure of New Mexico schools to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. The school system immediately acted on it and encouraged every individual to be responsible enough to take necessary measures. 

Principal Ed Bortot informed the families of Del Norte's students that the exposure may have happened between March 4 to 6 or March 9 and 10. The Department of Health commits to conduct screening and testing for students exposed to the virus.

New Mexico Counties with COVID-19 case

As of today, counties with reported COVID-19 cases include Socorro, Mckinley, San Miguel, Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Lea, Sandoval, Dona Ana, and Taos counties. 

Officials from Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe said they still have ample medical supplies though they are continuously seeking donations for protective suits, gloves and cleaning supplies. The hospital has received a generous amount of supplies which they say will be used once their current supplies runoff. 

Other medical facilities reported lack of supplies but Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center insists they are far from it. 

The New Mexico Department of Health announced that they have detected community spread and confirms that more residents will likely be infected but are still waiting to be tested. The state has enacted additional restrictions to reduce person-to-person contact thus controlling the spread of the virus. 

Some business establishments were requested to close in the meantime as the state tries to control the virus. New Mexicans are urged to limit travel during this crisis. 

David Morgan, the spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Health, shared that they are testing 350 individuals, however, those who are asymptomatic requires no testing. They further instructed the public to either reach out to their physicians or call the NMDOH Covid-19 hotline at 1-855-600-3453 if they show symptoms of being infected by the coronavirus. 

Count of COVID-19 cases per county is as follows:

  • Bernalillo - 34

  • Santa Fe- 10

  • Sandoval - 7

  • Dona Ana - 4

  • Taos - 3

  • McKinley - 2

  • Socorro - 2

  • San Miguel - 1

  • Lea - 1

  • San Juan - 1

As of today, there are 345,289 cases of coronavirus across the world. China, where the virus originated, has a total recorded case of 81,903 followed by Italy at 59,138. The virus is affecting a total of 192 countries and 1 international conveyance. Though the pandemic has a low mortality rate, experts still want the public to take precautionary measures to prevent the pandemic from growing bigger. 

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