New Mexico reports 20 more COVID-19 deaths, most in months

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's pandemic death roll rose by 20 on Friday, the largest reported single-day increase in months.

The state on Friday also reported 885 additional confirmed cases — the largest one-day increase in a week and substantially higher than the recent daily average — as the pandemic totals increased to 239,886 cases and 4,605 deaths.

Of the 20 additional deaths, 18 occurred in the last month and the other two occurred more than 30 days earlier.

The last time the state’s daily report on additional deaths was larger was in May when the total jumped by 114 after an audit, and the state before that hadn’t reported a daily increase of 20 or more since February, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

Health care officials have expressed concern about New Mexico’s hospital capacity during the current surge as COVID-19 patients contribute to an already-high patient load due to other illnesses.

The 20 fatalities were adults ranging in age from their 40s to their 90s.