SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Department of Health on Wednesday announced that three New Mexico residents tested presumptive positive for COVID-19, the first confirmed cases in the state.
Gov. Lujan Grisham and state health officials will be holding a news conference at 11 a.m. in Room 310 of the state Capitol, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, to announce additional details and the state’s response to the presumptive positive test results, which arrived this morning.
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 press conference will be streamed live at http://www.facebook.com/GovMLG/.
The governor’s office and Department of Health will send another notice with additional detail following the news conference.
“The state Department of Health has been preparing for this day for weeks now,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “I will be announcing additional information and steps New Mexicans can and should take to protect themselves and our communities very, very shortly. In the meantime, I will reiterate that New Mexicans can take preventive actions to protect themselves and mitigate the potential spread. We will address this public health challenge together.”
As before, New Mexicans can take easy preventative steps to help stop and mitigate the spread of communicable diseases, 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 — when sick, stay at home and don’t go to work or school
Symptoms of COVID-19 can appear as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. They include fever, cough or shortness of breath.
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MEDIA ADVISORY:
Contact: Nora Meyers Sackett
Press Secretary, Office of the Governor
nora.sackett@state.nm.us
(505) 690-7313
An order declaring a state of public health emergency and invoking the powers provided by the all-hazard emergency management act and the emergency licensing act. Click here to download and read the executive order.
http://cv.nmhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Executive-Order-2020-004.pdf
Follow the NM Department of Health: https://www.facebook.com/nmdoh
On behalf of the New Mexico Department of Health, take COVID-19 precautions.Wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds
Don’t touch your face
Use a tissue or your elbow to catch your sneeze or cough
Avoid large gatherings and close contact with sick people especially if you are elderly or high risk.
If you have a cough, fever or shortness of breath stay home from work or school
DO NOT go the ER or doctor’s office without first calling the Coronavirus hotline
And avoid all unnecessary out of state travel
Help prevent the spread of COVID-19
