Mexico Overtakes France to Have Fifth Deadliest Virus Outbreak

(Bloomberg) --

Mexico reported a daily rise of 523 Covid-19 deaths, bringing the total to 30,366 to make it the world’s fifth-deadliest country for Covid-19.

Total cases rose by a record 6,914 to 252,165, according to data released by the Health Ministry Saturday night. Mexico overtook Spain and France this week as the pandemic’s toll on the country continued to mount. The data can reflect numbers in addition to the previous 24 hours as it takes the Health Ministry longer than that to compile the data.

Like in other Latin American countries, Mexican officials have had to balance their response to the virus with consideration for significant groups of people who must work to meet basic daily needs. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has largely focused on reactivating the economy over imposing strict lockdowns.

In the country’s phased reopening system based on government data on hospital occupancy, Mexico City recently moved from maximum to high risk, which allows some businesses to operate at limited capacity. Even so, officials on Friday suspended the reopening of the capital city’s historic center, which teems with visitors on weekends, because businesses there failed to meet measures to contain the outbreak’s spread, newspaper Reforma reported.

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