COVID-19 infections continue at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, total cases at 36

Workers at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant continued to report COVID-19 infections this week, bringing the facility’s total to 36 positive cases of the virus.

Between Sept. 10 and 15, WIPP reported two employees received positive test results for the virus.

Both showed symptoms of infection.

One of the patients was last at the WIPP site on Sept. 2, and the other was on extended leave, per a WIPP news release.

As of Thursday, 14 of the 36 employees who reported positive cases of the virus were reportedly considered recovered, the release said, per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“The Department of Energy and (Nuclear Waste Partnership) continue to work with all employees to ensure Department of Health and CDC guidelines are followed,” the release said.

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Past COVID-19 cases at WIPP

State records show the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) initiated a rapid response at WIPP on Sept. 7 and 4 and on Aug. 30, 28, 14 and for Nuclear Waste Partnership on Sept. 12 for a total of 16 cases, per NMED documents.

Thursday’s report followed a report last week of two previous cases of the virus reported by an employee of Nuclear Waste Partnership – WIPP primary contractor – along with another from a worker at an unnamed subcontractor.

MORE:34 WIPP workers infected with COVID-19, cases decline in SE New Mexico

Nuclear Waste Partnership spokesman Donavan Mager said the name of the subcontractor was not made public to protect the identity of the patient.

Both employees showed symptoms of the virus and were last at the WIPP facility between Aug. 20 and Sept. 22, a WIPP news release said.

On Sept. 4, four workers from Nuclear Waste Partnership reported positive test results for COVID-19 and were last at the WIPP site between Aug. 16 and 27, a release said, and worked at the facility and the Skeen Whitlock Building in Carlsbad.

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Three of the four were symptomatic.

The day before, two workers with the contractor tested positive after showing symptoms and were last at the site on Aug. 20.

Another Nuclear Waste Partnership employee was reported positive for the virus on Aug. 14, last reporting to the WIPP site on Aug. 2.

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Four employees, also with Nuclear Waste Partnership, tested positive on Aug. 13 along with a fifth employed by Regulatory Environmental Services.

Two of those workers were previously quarantined due to potential exposure to the virus and were last at the WIPP site on Aug. 2m while the other three were at the site between Aug. 4 and 6.

Earlier that week, Nuclear Waste Partnership reported four other workers tested positive. Three were quarantined ahead of the test results and were last at the site on July 30.

MORE:WIPP operations continue amid pandemic, spike in positive COVID-19 cases

The fourth was quarantined after falling ill, the release said, and was last at the site on Aug. 6. Nuclear Waste Partnership reported earlier cases on Aug. 3, July 21 and its first in June.

A worker with CAST Specialty Trucking who worked for WIPP at the Carlsbad trucking terminal reported a positive test result on July 8, but reportedly had no contact with other WIPP employees.

In May, WIPP subcontractors Constructors Inc and Granite Construction each reported an infected employee, with the first positive case associated with the WIPP site reported in April from an employee at the Carlsbad Technical Assistance Contractor (CTAC) North Wind Portage.

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New Mexico eases some restrictions, southeast sees more COVID-19 cases

Southeast New Mexican counties continued to record some of the highest daily caseloads of COVID-19, state records show, as infection rates appeared to decline statewide.

On Thursday, 10 new cases were reported in Eddy County along with 15 in Lea County. Chaves County saw 17 cases and had the third highest increase after the state’s two most populous counties Dona Ana with 21 and Bernalillo with 38.

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In total, state health officials reported 159 new cases across New Mexico with three deaths.

A man in his 60s from Bernalillo was reported dead from the virus, along with a man in his 70s from Lea.

Another man in his 40s from McKinley County and a man in his 60s from Santa Fe were also reported to have died from the virus.

Eddy County’s total rose to 654 cases on Thursday, while Lea County rose to 1,299 and Chaves County was at 993.

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The state was still led in overall cases by Bernalillo with 6,144 reported infections and McKinley with 4,285.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced changes to the state’s public health order aimed and slowing the spread of COVID-19, opening overnight camp at state parks in groups no large than 10 people.

The state also eased restrictions on athletic practices, allowing for groups of 10 or less, while also allowing pick-your-own pumpkin patches and ice skating rinks to open along with swimming pools with no more than 10 people in the pool at a time.

“We all want to keep making progress in combating the virus,” Lujan Grisham said. “New Mexicans have done incredible work. These changes are hopefully an opportunity for families and kids to safely enjoy more activities.”

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.