The Chronicles Of Grant County
Status Of The COVID-19 Pandemic
August 2, 2021
(The image was provided courtesy of Muhammad Rizky Klinsman through Pixabay, April 13, 2020.)
Just a few weeks ago, it appeared that the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic had diminished considerably in Grant County. But the virus is still with us. And it's having an impact on the communities in southwestern New Mexico as well as throughout the State.
As of August 2, 2021, the New Mexico Department of Health reported that there had been a cumulative total of 1,784 cases of infections of people with the virus that causes COVID-19 Disease in Grant County. Of that number, 1,720 individuals recovered.
To put these numbers in perspective, among nearby counties, Catron County has had a cumulative total of 98 cases, with 90 individuals recovered; Hidalgo County has had a cumulative total of 414 cases, with 359 people recovered; Luna County has had a cumulative total of 3,439 cases, with 3,303 individuals recovered; and Sierra County has had a cumulative total of 787 cases, with 730 people recovered.
The percentage of all emergency department visits that were for Coronavirus-like illness from July 12 through July 26 was 0.7% in Grant County. The lowest rate of all emergency department visits relative to COVID-19 in neighboring counties was in Catron County: zero. The three other counties had higher percentages than Grant County: Sierra County, 1.6%; Hidalgo County, 2.9%; and Luna County, 3.2%.
One way to understand the impact in individual counties is to use a standard statistical analysis for comparison among the communities in southwestern New Mexico. The statistical analysis used by the New Mexico Department of Health was to use the average daily case rate per 100,000 population in the previous 7 days from July 26th through August 1st. This analysis showed that that level was 9.7 cases per 100,000 people in Grant County. This rate was similar to the level in Catron County (8.1 per 100,000 persons), but it was twice the level in Luna County (4.1 per 100,000 individuals) and more than three times the rate in Sierra County (2.6 per 100,000 people).
The level in Hidalgo County, though, was substantially higher than in any other area within southwestern New Mexico. In this county, it was 67.4 cases per 100,000 persons.
That level in Hidalgo County was the highest in the entire State of New Mexico.
In addition, hospitalization rates due to the COVID-19 Pandemic are on the increase in Hidalgo County. According to the New Mexico Department of Health, the rate of hospital admissions per 100,000 people was 40.6 in Hidalgo County from July 26 through August 1. This was the second highest level in the entire State; only the rate of hospital admissions in Eddy County was higher.
The level in Grant County, by comparison, was 1.7 per 100,000 individuals. There were no hospital admissions due to COVID-19 in Catron County, Luna County, or Sierra County during this time period.
Thus far during the COVID-19 Pandemic – through the end of July – 41 residents of Grant County have died due to COVID-19. Among neighboring counties, 92 residents of Luna County, 52 residents of Sierra County, 9 residents of Hidalgo County, and 6 residents of Catron County have died from COVID-19.
This map shows the average daily case rate per 100,000 population from July 26th through August 1, 2021. Not the extremely high level of infection in Hidalgo County. (This map was provided courtesy of the New Mexico Department of Health, August 2, 2021.)
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© 2021 Richard McDonough