Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

NM announces 'presumptive positive' COVID-19

SANTA FE — Health officials on Wednesday announced that three New Mexico residents tested presumptive positive for COVID-19, the first confirmed cases in the state.

According to a news release from New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham:

Per the state Department of Health, two of the cases are a Socorro County husband and wife, both in their 60s, with known recent international travel to Egypt. Both are at home in isolation. The third case is a woman in her 70s in Bernalillo County with known recent travel to the New York City area. She is also isolated at home.

The governor on Wednesday issued a public health emergency, as other states have, in order to maximize the resources available to the state in order to fight the potential spread of the virus and minimize public health risks for New Mexicans.

The governor, in consultation with leadership at the New Mexico Department of Health, on Wednesday issued enhanced public health advisory steps that New Mexicans should take to protect themselves, their families and New Mexico communities from the potential occurrence or spread of the disease in our state.

The governor and Department of Health urged New Mexicans to:

• ​Avoid large public gatherings, particularly if you are a high-risk individual. High-risk individuals are older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease

• ​Avoid all non-essential travel to affected out-of-state areas; and exercise extreme caution with all out-of-state travel

• ​Remain home (“self-isolate”) if you are sick and call the Department of Health at 1-855-600-3453 if you are exhibiting any of the symptoms of COVID-19. ​Those symptoms include fever, cough or trouble breathing

• ​And continue taking precautionary steps to protect your individual health, such as ... ​Washing your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds ... ​Clean “high-touch” surfaces daily with regular household cleaners ... ​​Avoid sharing personal household items