SANTA FE – New Mexico health officials said Friday that another 43 people in the state have died because of COVID-19 complications, marking the second highest daily death toll since the pandemic began.
Nearly two-thirds of the latest fatalities involved people in the 70s or older, while one of the deaths was a McKinley County man in his 20s who had underlying conditions.
“We cannot become numb to this,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a tweet Friday afternoon. “My prayers are with the loved ones of these New Mexicans. Let’s all do everything we can to stop this terrible virus.”
State officials also reported an additional 1,849 confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total to 116,565.
New Mexico is preparing next week to receive its first round of vaccine doses. Under the state’s distribution plan, front-line health care workers will be first in line.
