SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Thursday that New Mexico will tighten its public health restrictions and reimpose a ban on indoor dining to help combat an explosion of new coronavirus cases in much of the state.

Starting Monday, dining inside a restaurant will be prohibited, though outdoor and patio seating will be allowed at 50% capacity. Restaurants and breweries may also continue curbside pickup services.

New Mexico is also set to eliminate an exception to the state’s mask mandate that previously allowed people to exercise without wearing one.

Furthermore, the governor said, no contact sports will be allowed at New Mexico schools in the fall.

The changes are necessary, she said, to safeguard the lives of New Mexicans — another six of whom died from the virus, pushing the statewide death toll to 533.

By one estimate, Lujan Grisham said, the number of deaths could more than double within the next five weeks, unless there’s quick action.

“Where we are is an untenable situation,” the governor said.

The average number of new infections detected each day shot up 79% in a recent 16-day period, with “astronomical growth” in southeastern New Mexico, near Texas, Human Services Secretary David Scrase said.

“We are beginning to see the kind of community spread that is creating spikes around the country,” Lujan Grisham said Thursday in a public briefing broadcast from the Capitol.

Scrase said New Mexico’s case trends show signs of “the pandemic being out of control.” Lea County in southeastern New Mexico, he said, is emerging as a particular concern.

Adults in their 20s, meanwhile, are an increasing share of the infections, Scrase said, and “we’re starting to see more mortality in younger age groups.”

There are signs, he said, of serious health problems even for younger people who contract the virus but don’t die.

Lujan Grisham put New Mexico’s reopening plans on hold earlier this summer and had warned repeatedly that the state might reimpose some closures to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Starting in June, the state allowed restaurants, gyms, salons and a host of other businesses to operate at partial capacity.

But a new health order will go into effect Monday outlining the tightened restrictions.

Lujan Grisham said the new rules will also make the state’s mandate to wear masks more stringent, eliminating an exception for exercise.

Out-of-state visitors will be kept out of state parks under the new health order.

Texas and Arizona are also seeing strong growth in infections, and they have already rolled back some of their earlier openings.

Source: DAN MCKAY / JOURNAL STAFF WRITER "NM to ban indoor dining again"