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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.

The New Mexico Department of Health is requesting an 11% bump in state dollars as federal funding for the department shrinks following boosts during the pandemic. The proposal highlights the DOH’s priority of addressing staffing shortages.

Acting New Mexico Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase said at a briefing Thursday that the peak of the pediatric RSV surge may now be behind us, but the kids who do have it remain sicker than usual.

At a news conference Thursday, Acting New Mexico Health Secretary Dr. David Scrase said he keeps track of how long COVID has been around in his journal, and that this week New Mexico hit day 1,000 as challenges persist. Cases are up, PCR testing is becoming less accessible and indoor masking is recommended in several counties.

Three New Mexico counties – McKinley, Valencia and San Juan – have high community levels of COVID-19. That’s according to the latest CDC data accounting for hospitalization and case rates. But in terms of just the spread of the virus, all but one of New Mexico’s counties are bright red on the CDC map, showing the highest levels of transmission. 91°µÍø’s Jered Ebenreck has this report. And the state’s surveillance tools for tracking the virus appear to be contracting or stalled.

According to the latest CDC data accounting for hospitalization and case rates, four New Mexico counties, including Bernalillo and Sandoval, have high community levels of COVID-19. But in terms of just the spread of the virus, 21 counties show the highest levels of transmission. As hospitals fill with sick children and adults from various respiratory viruses, state health officials cautioned people to use masks and get the latest Omicron booster.

Pediatric hospital units at New Mexico’s largest hospitals continue to fill due to an early surge of RSV and flu compounded by other viruses, including COVID. Health officials are not yet positive whether the early onset means the surge will also end sooner, but say it could peak in January and end in March.

State health officials Thursday rolled out a new website for the COVID omicron booster shot and gave an update on other public health risks in the state. The CDC also announced a change from daily to weekly COVID case and death reports starting October 20.

Last week President Joe Biden said the pandemic had ended. Yet the federal public health emergency order is good until mid-October and will likely be extended into January. For two weeks in a row all 33 New Mexico counties are pastel green on the CDC COVID Community Levels map showing low hospitalization rates from the virus across the state. Yet, only two counties, Harding and Hidalgo actually have low COVID transmission rates.