Enchantment State News

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) is reporting that eight new residents tested positive for the coronavirus on Sunday, bringing the total to 65 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state. 

The new cases come from Bernalillo County, Doña Ana County, McKinley County, San Juan County and Santa Fe County. 

The youngest case is a 9-year-old boy from McKinley County and the oldest case is a woman in her 60s from Bernalillo County. A man in his 30s also tested positive from Bernalillo County, bringing the total to 34 cases in the county. 

Kathy Kunkel, secretary for the state department of health | nmhealth.org

From Doña Ana County, there were two new cases: a woman in her 20s and a woman in her 50s. 

In Santa Fe County, there were also two more cases: a man in his 30s and a man in his 40s. 

In San Juan County, a man in his 50s tested positive. 

COVID-19 stands for coronavirus disease 2019 and common symptoms include coughing, difficulty breathing and fever. It’s caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. 

If you have any of these symptoms, the state asks residents to call the COVID-19 hotline at 1-855-600-3453 immediately. Sneezing and itchy eyes are likely allergy season symptoms, the department of health said.  

The State Department of Health said in a press release on Sunday that it’s likely there are more infected residents that have not been tested yet. 

In an attempt to limit the opportunities for the virus to continue spreading, on March 19, Kathy Kunkel, secretary for the department of health, issued a public order effective until Friday, April 10 that limits public gatherings greater than 10 people. 

Restaurants have also been ordered to only serve take-out or home delivery, and hotels have been ordered to not exceed half their capacity. 

Stores were also ordered to limit the number of necessary goods such as sanitary care products, diapers, and hygiene products to three packaged items per customer.