Positive cases were identified Monday after a large-scale testing event was held at New Mexico State University for certain employees. 

According to a press release, 12 individuals associated with NMSU and Dona Ana Community College tested positive for the virus. None of those individuals reported having symptoms, the news release said. 

Chancellor Dan Arvizu said wide-scale testing is necessary to understand the scope of the disease within the NMSU community. 

 “We’re grateful to the governor and state officials who helped facilitate this operation, and we appreciate everyone who took part,” Arvizu said in the release. 

Nearly half of the individuals tested for COVID-19 had not been on campus since March. The news release said NMSU continues to sanitize facilities and follow preventative protocols like social distancing and requiring face coverings. 

As of Wednesday, total positive cases in New Mexico were recorded at 6,317. That’s around 4.3% of all of the administered tests which total at 147,344. According to the New Mexico Department of Health, total deaths around the state have reached 283 and 1,985 cases have recovered. 

In Dona Ana County Wednesday, total cases reached 322 out of 11,001 individuals tested. The death toll in the county remains at two. 

During a press update Wednesday, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said the state is on-track to reopen dine-in restaurants and other businesses to a limited capacity June 1.