Potential for coronavirus in New Mexico affecting event planning

While there are no reported cases of coronavirus in New Mexico, the city of Albuquerque is planning as if it will happen at some point.

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“We're trying to make sure everybody is on the same page and preparing consistently,” Albuquerque Environmental Health Department’s deputy director Mark DiMenna said.

He said the city is doing everything it can to prepare people for a potential outbreak while still keeping things 'business as usual' in the Duke City.

“A lot has to happen before we start talking about things like canceling events,” DiMenna said.

That means it would take more than just local cases of coronavirus.

There would also need to be cases of unknown origin.

These cases involve people who hadn't traveled or been in contact with someone known to have it.

“If we come to a point where we need to start thinking about social distancing measures, and that's being advised at the CDC level, then we would want to start looking at specific events and say like: 'Is this still a good idea? Is this something that we want to be doing right now?'” DiMenna said.

Until then, events in Albuquerque will continue as planned.

That includes the NCAA Indoor Track and Field National Championship, which is slated to start in Albuquerque March 13.

Officials for the University of New Mexico, which is helping plan the event, said they have been in close communication with the Department of Health and are expecting additional recommendations from the NCAA to help ensure the safety of spectators and athletes as the event draws closer.

Tourism officials said that when the event was last in Albuquerque, in 2014, it led to nearly $1 million in direct spending.

This year's event is expected to generate even more than that.

DiMenna said this kind of preparation is not uncharted waters, as the city put similar plans in place during the H1N1 outbreak in 2009.

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