Mexico Registers 59% More Excess Deaths Than Expected Amid Covid

(Bloomberg) --

Mexico reported excess deaths of 122,765 from March to August, a 59% increase from what was expected, as the novel coronavirus put the country fourth on the global list of Covid-19 fatalities.

The data from the National Center for Preventive Programs and Disease Control, or Cenaprece, takes into account the total number of deaths, regardless of the cause, general director Ruy Lopez said at a press conference Saturday night, according to national newspaper Reforma.

“There is still a significant portion of other deaths that can be associated with Covid, but not registered in the surveillance system, but also due to other causes,” he said.

Mexico has registered more than 67,000 coronavirus-related fatalities.

The study was conducted across 24 states and excluded eight, including Chiapas, Durango, Nayarit and Yucatan. People between the ages of 45 and 65 had the highest percentage of excess mortality. Below 20 years old, the excess mortality was zero.

On Friday evening, Mexico’s deputy health minister Hugo Lopez Gatell said the government had ordered 1.1 million additional death certificates be printed as several parts of the country ran out and Covid-19 cases continue to soar.

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