Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) said the state of New Mexico could be forced to shut down once again after a recent uptick in positive COVID-19 diagnoses, including a thousand new cases just over the weekend.
Lujan Grisham spoke out about her concerns over the Delta variant at a recent press conference.
"Our cases have quadrupled in a few short weeks because of the Delta variant. That is a very troubling statistic," Lujan Grisham said, according to KOB. "Expect that there will be any number of tough decisions potentially on the table."
At this point, plans for the state fair and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta are still moving forward, but a spokesperson for the state fair said they would abide by any public health orders issued to ensure the safety of those in attendance, KOB reported.
Both were canceled last year.
According to KOB, Lujan Grisham said that while she is two weeks behind on making any decisions, she would do whatever is needed to keep people in New Mexico safe.
Lujan Grisham's New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) has already sent letters to school districts asking them to comply with mask and vaccination mandates or risk losing school charters and having superintendents and school board members removed, the Pinon Post reported.