ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico has qualified for a federal disaster loan assistance program aimed at helping small businesses affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency, state officials said Tuesday.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said the Small Business Administration’s loan program is one of several tools that can help businesses, many of which have seen rapid declines in customer traffic and sales over the last week as officials have encouraged people to stay home in order to limit the spread of the virus.
“We are dedicated to assisting every business that we can to endure the significant hardship this emergency has already caused,” the governor said.
State labor officials also announced that employees at businesses that close temporarily can access unemployment benefits without having to search for a new position.
Two more people in New Mexico have tested positive for the coronavirus. Health officials said Tuesday that a man in Taos County in his 50s and a Santa Fe County man in his 40s both recently tested positive, bringing the total number of cases in New Mexico to 23.
The state Department of Health has active investigations into each of the positive patients, which includes finding people they were in contact with and swabbing those people who have symptoms.
Judicial officials also announced that New Mexico’s appellate, district, metropolitan and magistrate courts remain open but that the state Supreme Court has opted to suspend at least until April 30 all upcoming criminal jury trials. The decision follows an earlier move to suspended civil jury trials because of the public health emergency.
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