Almost 4,000 residents diagnosed with COVID-19 in January

Almost 4,000 residents of Curry-Roosevelt counties were diagnosed with COVID-19 in January – by far the most in a single month since the pandemic began in 2020.

State health department officials reported Curry County recorded 2,801 COVID-19 cases last month. The previous single-month record for Curry County was 1,559 cases reported in November 2020.

Officials said Roosevelt County reported 1,105 COVID-19 cases in January. The previous record for a single month in that county was 514 in November 2020.

The counties combined recorded 31 COVID-related deaths in January – 24 in Curry County and seven in Roosevelt County.

The average age of those whose deaths were blamed on the virus was 68 years. Five area residents younger than 50 died from COVID in January, records show.

There was some good news on Monday: The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New Mexico was down 36.6% compared to the week before. The state’s health department also reported a decline in hospitalizations. There were 590 people with COVID hospitalized throughout the state on Monday. On Friday, that total was 673.

State records show that in the past year, 89.2% of those who have died from COVID-19 were unvaccinated.

The Albuquerque Journal contributed to this report.