The New Mexico Department of Health reported 13 positive COVID-19 cases for Eddy County and 5 on Saturday. Thank you to Eddy County Manager Al Davis, Artesia Chamber of Commerce Director Hayley Klein, County Commissioner Jon Henry and Artesia Mayor Raye Miller for helping to clarify that most of last week’s “spike” in positives were related to a database update and do not apply to our current gating criteria. Thank you to Department of Health officials for following up with us to clarify this, especially Dr. Dan Sosin. Eddy County is very close to moving from red to yellow in the State’s gating criteria when the new data is released by March 10. Please continue to push these numbers down through COVID-safe practices such as mask wearing and avoiding large gatherings.