New Mexico
No new detections of avian flu in New Mexico cows, poultry, people despite rising U.S. cases • Source New Mexico
Bird flu is increasing the cost of what’s on people’s table this Thanksgiving, as deaths of millions of poultry in recent weeks have driven up egg prices and dropped turkey populations to the lowest level in nearly 40 years.
More than 90 million poultry – mostly chickens and turkeys – have been euthanized or infected with avian influenza in the United States. The deaths sharply drove up prices of poultry meat in 2022, which have only slightly abated this year.
Much of California, including some of the country’s largest egg layers, has seen increased infections from the migration of wild birds.Egg prices in California have nearly doubled in a month, as flocks get smaller and can’t keep up with demand.
New Mexico health and veterinary officials said avian influenza has not been detected in state dairy herds or poultry farms since August. Nor has anyone in the state tested positive, even as cases and concerns rise amid the ongoing outbreak elsewhere.
New Mexico was among the first of 15 states currently experiencing the avian flu crossover infections in dairy cows. Infections have spread to nearly 500 dairy herds this year, including top milk producers in California, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
But national experts said the U.S. is failing to keep track of the spread of the disease, because it has a less robust effort to track public health compared to other developed countries.
Instead, the U.S. relies on a patchwork of local health systems that don’t always have the funding for tracking emerging diseases, said Amira Roess, a professor of global health at George Mason University.
“It is hard to comment on whether or not (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) infections are truly rare, given that we do not have active surveillance programs,” Roess said.
What is avian influenza?
Avian influenza is a family of viruses that usually impacts wild and domestic birds. Previously, people and other animals would only be sickened by coming into direct contact with sickened birds or carcasses.
In recent years, the H5N1 variant has “spilled” over into other species and has been devastating for marine mammal populations. Infectious disease researchers said the virus’ ability to adapt to different hosts and change its genetic code increases its pandemic potential.
Currently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that person-to-person transmission of avian flu is not occurring, and that the risk to the general population is low but much higher for people in contact with poultry or other animals.
Dr. Samantha Holeck, the state veterinarian, said there have been no presumptive cases in New Mexico cows since August, keeping the number of infected New Mexico herds to 9.
Avian flu infections have been limited to Curry and Roosevelt counties, and include a poultry facility in addition to the dairies. There’s no further information about the number of animals impacted, state officials said.
In an emailed statement, Holeck said no deaths in New Mexico dairy herds have been “directly attributed to H5N1.”
It’s a different story for dairy herds in California. Instead of about a 2% mortality rate seen in other states from avian influenza, infected California herds had death rates of 15-20% preventing farmers’ ability to remove the carcasses and fueling further infection concerns.
Infections in humans are increasing
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 55 people have been infected, including 28 cases in California. People experiencing avian flu reported eye infections – officially called conjunctivitis – and others had flu-like symptoms including chills, coughing, fever, sore throat and runny nose.
Here’s what to watch for avian flu symptoms in backyard flocks and other domestic animals
In New Mexico, only seven people have been tested for avian flu though November. All were negative, said David Morgan, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Health.
New Mexico health officials have only tested symptomatic people, following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines released in April when the outbreak started. Only in early November did the CDC update its policies to test all farmworkers who come into contact with animals with bird flu, regardless if they’re showing symptoms or not.
Roess said one of the concerns of testing only symptomatic workers is that it can give health experts an inaccurate picture of infection rates. That testing strategy can miss people who carry the disease and quietly transmit it.
Without tests of symptomatic and asymptomatic people, it’s hard to assess how big the risk of an outbreak is or if enough preventative measures are in place.
She also said testing workers in dairies and poultry farms has specific challenges.
“A lot of food production workers are low-wage workers who do not have meaningful healthcare access,” Roess said. “It is extremely difficult to convince someone to take time away from work to go get tested when they are sick if that means they will lose income.”
Federal health officials are publishing data from wastewater monitoring, but independent public health experts have asked states and cities to do more testing for avian flu.
State officials not planning to test wastewater in New Mexico for avian flu
New Mexico officials are submitting results from H5 influenza tests in Santa Fe and Albuquerque to the national dashboard, but are not testing in Curry and Roosevelt counties – where the outbreaks in dairies and a poultry facility have been located.
Morgan didn’t say what would trigger increased surveillance, only saying the department “would pursue wastewater testing if the results would inform public health actions.”
State health officials previously gave sets of masks and gloves to two dairies for their employees and distributed 3,000 sets of personal protective equipment to community groups.
Morgan urged dairy workers and their families to get the seasonal flu vaccine, saying that, while it will not protect against the avian flu H5N1 strain, it will reduce infection from a common flu strain at the same time.
“Being vaccinated against flu also gives the H5N1 virus fewer chances to combine with seasonal influenza strains, which could enable it to transmit person-to-person,” Morgan said.
There is no vaccine widely available for H5N1. TheU.S. has only 5 million of the vaccines against the strain spreading right now.
Migration season sees a spike in cases in other states
As billions of birds are migrating, health officials in other states are raising the alarm about increased cases of bird flu in wild populations.
Contact with infected wild birds caused recent backyard farm animal infections in Washington including pigs.
Pigs plus avian influenza has been a deadly combination before. In 2009, the H1N1 variant (nicknamed the “swine flu”) was a new combination of genes from influenza viruses that infected pigs, people and birds. It infected 20% of the global population.
New Mexico has recorded only 41 cases of avian influenza in wild birds, which pales in comparison to the several hundred cases detected in surrounding states such as Colorado and Utah, according to the USDA’s tracker.
The last date of a wild bird with H5N1 was recorded May 24 in Roosevelt county, according to the USDA data.
Darren Vaughn, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, said he could not provide answers by deadline to questions about the agency’s efforts to catalog avian influenza cases, or make anyone available for comment.
New laws in 2025: From gun reforms to cage-free eggs
From gun reform to agriculture, hundreds of laws and amendments will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Here are a few to know.
What is the legislative session?
New Mexico lawmakers will address various issues important to New Mexicans, including budgets, education reforms, healthcare policies and infrastructure developments during the 2025 legislative session in Santa Fe.
The session will be historic; women will hold the majority of seats in the New Mexico Legislature, making it the largest female legislative majority in U.S. history.
When is the New Mexico legislative session?
- Jan. 2 – Jan. 17: Legislation may be prefiled
- Jan. 21: Opening day (noon)
- Feb. 20: Deadline for introduction
- March 22: Session ends (noon)
- April 11: Legislation not acted upon by governor is pocket vetoed
- June 20: Effective date of legislation not a general appropriation bill or a bill carrying an emergency clause or other specified date
How to connect with your legislators
New Mexicans are encouraged to engage with the legislative process by following bill progress, attending public hearings and communicating with their elected representatives to ensure their voices are heard in the state’s lawmaking process.
- Phone calls: A direct way to voice your concerns.
- Email: A good option for providing detailed information.
- Letters: Can be impactful, especially when sent as part of a larger campaign.
- In-person meetings: Best for building a personal connection.
- Public testimony: Share your perspective at legislative hearings.
Use the New Mexico Legislature’s “Find My Legislator” tool online at https://www.nmlegis.gov/Members/Find_My_Legislator.
What are the Legislative priorities for the 2025 session in New Mexico?
Budget requests
Governor Lujan Grisham released the 2026 fiscal year budget recommendation of $10.9 billion in recurring spending — an increase of 5.3% over current year spending. The budget contains an additional $172 million for state employee pay raises, which includes additional compensation for New Mexico educators, according to the Office of the Governor.
“This fiscally sound budget proposal prioritizes early childhood education, clean energy, infrastructure, affordable housing and expanded healthcare access to build a stronger foundation for New Mexicans,” said Grisham. “My administration looks forward to discussing these proposals with state lawmakers and reaching consensus on the priorities that matter most to our state.”
Public safety
Improvement to public records requests: The New Mexico Counties (NMC) Board of Directors is seeking to amend the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA). This would bar certain requests made to “compromise and obstruct critical local government services,” according to NMC.
Reckless driving: Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Police Department Chief Harold Medina are pushing for increased penalties for reckless driving, aiming to make the consequences as severe as those for homicide. This includes penalties for street racing and driving that result in death or serious injury.
Felons with firearms: Keller and Medina are also advocating for stricter laws against felons caught with firearms, seeking harsher penalties to enhance public safety, alongside Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story.
“We cannot do this alone,” Keller said. “The challenges facing Albuquerque, New Mexico, are a combination of homegrown and national, and they’re big, and we will keep fighting in every single way, every single day to push back against crime, against housing challenges around homelessness.”
Corrections and detention
Detention workforce: Funding the Corrections Workforce Capacity Building Fund will address staffing shortages in county detention centers. Legislators are focusing on recruitment and retention of detention officers.
Detention Reimbursement Fund: Fully funding the County Detention Facility Reimbursment Act Fund would reimburse counties for the costs associated with housing state inmates. The current fund is $5 million and legislators are looking to increase it by $3.2 million.
Healthcare and family support
Paid family and medical leave (PFML): AARP New Mexico is prioritizing legislation for paid family and medical leave, reflecting broader efforts to support families and workers across the state.
“We will be putting a lot of time and effort into getting PFML passed this time,” AARP New Mexico Associate State Director for Advocacy Othiamba Umi said.
Infrastructure and economic development
Courthouse funding: Investment in the construction and renovation of state district courthouses would ensure they meet modern standards of security and functionality, according to the NMC.
Municipal revenue sources: The New Mexico Municipal League will address the financial impacts of state policy changes on municipal revenues.
Community services and quality of life
Affordable housing: Priorities in Las Cruces include funding for affordable housing projects like Paseos Verdes and Amador Crossing, which aim to provide housing for veterans, low-income families and the elderly.
Public transportation: Investment in infrastructure would support electric bus charging stations and enhancements to public transit facilities.
Firefighter and EMS recruitment
Funding for emergency services: Legislators are looking for continued funding for the operational costs of 700 MHz radios and recruitment funds to ensure adequate staffing and resources for firefighters and EMS personnel, according to NMC.
Border-Related Humanitarian and Crime Efforts
Funding for border security: Legislators are seeking $5 million to go to counties for state and federal resources to combat drug and human trafficking networks, according to a release from NMC.
U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico have comprehensive lists of priorities published on their sites that will be discussed during the 2025 Legislative Session.
People in New Mexico shared what their resolutions are for the New Year and how they’re already making progress on it, includng through a 5K run at a local brewery.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As the big chile dropped to ring in 2025 in New Mexico, thoughts of resolutions and goals for the New Year were plentiful in people’s minds.
From hitting the gym more to more time with loved ones and more, there is a lot that people are looking forward to in the New Year.
Canteen Brewhouse in Albuquerque even hosted a 5K run New Year’s Day to help people get started on the right foot — with a pint included — on day one.
Hear what people had to say in the video above.
Mustapha Amzil and C.J. Noland scored 23 points apiece to lead New Mexico to a 103-89 victory over Fresno State on Tuesday night at the Save Mart Center.
Amzil added five rebounds for the Lobos (11-3, 3-0 Mountain West Conference). Noland made 11 for 17 shots. Donovan Dent scored 17.
Zaon Collins led the Bulldogs (4-10, 0-3) with 20 points. Elijah Price totaled 15 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and three blocks. Brian Amuneke also had 15 points.
New Mexico took the lead with 17:53 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 53-36 at halftime, with Amzil racking up 14 points.
New Mexico pulled away with an 11-2 run in the second half to extend a 10-point lead to 19 points.
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