San Miguel County reports first coronavirus case

March 20, 2020

Ryan Lowery

The New Mexico Department of Health announced seven new positive COVID-19 cases Thursday, including the first positive case in San Miguel County.

While the NMDOH has not released details about the person as of this writing, Nora Meyers Sackett, the governor’s press secretary, told the Optic the person is self-isolating at home.

Leo Maestas, emergency manager for San Miguel County, said it is believed the person was exposed to the coronavirus while traveling outside of New Mexico, and that there is no indication it was due to community spread.

Drive-through testing was offered in Las Vegas for the first time on Thursday. Maestas said around 20 vehicles lined up outside Memorial Middle School at the 10 a.m. opening, but traffic was light most of the day.

Though the county’s first case was announced the day drive-through testing became available in Las Vegas, the positive case was not detected during Thursday’s testing. Those results can take up to 48 hours or longer.

Maestas said the NMDOH will now evaluate whether it will offer drive-through testing in Las Vegas again. Sackett said testing will continue to expand statewide, but she did not provide details on possible future testing sites in San Miguel or Mora counties.

The other six new cases of COVID-19 announced Thursday included four in Bernalillo County and two in Santa Fe County. Statewide, 35 positive cases had been reported as of Thursday, with 20 in Bernalillo County, seven in Santa Fe County, four in Sandoval County, two in Socorro County, one in Taos County and one in San Miguel County.

Thursday was also the first day new restrictions on businesses in New Mexico went into effect. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a public health order Wednesday morning that requires the closure of some businesses and limits operations of others.

Gov. Lujan Grisham and state officials have urged New Mexicans to practice social distancing procedures and to stay home if possible. New Mexicans with symptoms of the coronavirus — such as fever, cough or shortness of breath — should call their health care provider or the state’s hotline 855-600-3453.