91°µÍø

COVID cases are expected to surge this upcoming winter as people spend more time indoors for the typically cooler holiday season. To combat it, the Biden administration is offering a new round of free at-home tests starting on Monday.

Three New Mexico counties — San Juan, Union, and Guadalupe — have high community levels of COVID-19, five less than the previous week according to the latest CDC data that accounts for hospitalization and case rates. But data on just the spread of the virus by itself shows nearly all of the state is bright red, indicating high transmission rates.

Just like the rest of the country, New Mexico is still dealing with a triple-demic of COVID-19, RSV, and flu and doctors are reporting surges that haven’t been seen in the past two winters. However, on December 15th most PCR testing sites will officially close down as the state pivots to relying on at-home testing, but any delay in testing could lead to higher hospitalization numbers.

Based on community levels of COVID-19, which measures the virus’s impact in hospitalizations and strain on the healthcare system, the latest CDC data shows that New Mexico’s map is pretty green – indicating low levels. But, when you look at transmission —the presence and spread of the virus — the map is very red. This latest data comes as we head into a holiday weekend, and as the federal government stops supplying free COVID tests.

Hospital officials warned Monday that the omicron variant of COVID-19 has devastated emergency room capacity in the state’s hospitals.

This week on Let's Talk New Mexico we're talking hospital staffing shortages as the omicron variant pushes COVID-19 case numbers to record levels.

New Mexico health officials Wednesday offered an update on COVID-19 as the omicron variant drives up case numbers across the state. All Things Considered host Nash Jones spoke with 91°µÍø’s Jered Ebenreck who attended the virtual briefing.