Mexico’s Nayarit Says Hospitals Full, at Odds With Data

(Bloomberg) -- Mexico’s coastal state of Nayarit said its hospitals are full and funeral services are reaching capacity, sounding an alarm that puts it at odds with the federal government.

Nayarit will soon have to improvise plastic tarp camps to tend to the “thousands of people” who will get sick if people continue ignoring guidelines on the use of masks and social distancing, Governor Antonio Echevarria said in a message Saturday.

“In the coming days, hospital capacity will collapse and funerary services will not be able to meet demand,” Echevarria said. “If we continue on the same track, we have to be prepared for the worst.”

The governor’s warning contrasts with data provided by the federal government, which shows a scenario where only 58% of Nayarit’s regular hospital beds are occupied and less than a quarter of all ventilators are used.

“We present the state average, but it’s possible that one locality could in fact be saturated,” Health Ministry epidemiology director Jose Luis Alomia said in a statement. “Every state is in charge of constantly monitoring its local capacity and implementing measures to ensure availability.”

Nayarit is home to Punta Mita, a world-class golf resort with courses designed by Jack Nicklaus. The state, with a population of more than 1 million, had 1,592 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 185 deaths.

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