On Sunday, Mexico reported 2,075 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases to 49,219, as the nation is set to resume its economic activities that are deemed essential.
The number of deaths from COVID-19, the infection caused by the novel coronavirus, increased by 132 on Sunday, totaling 5,177 deaths.
Last week, Mexico health officials announced a plan that could gradually resume economic activities that have been halted due to the coronavirus outbreak, which is expected to start from June 1.
On Friday, the officials said the automotive industry could exit the coronavirus lockdown before June 1 if employers follow all the necessary safety measures.
On Sunday, Deputy Health Minister Dr. Hugo López-Gatell told reported that the number of cases has started to stabilize over the last week in Mexico City and its metropolitan area, where the infection level was high.
The officials said the true number of COVID-19 cases could significantly increase than the reported total because most people infected with the virus are unlikely to go to a doctor, while others are asymptomatic or diagnosed incorrectly.
Experts say that Mexico has been found to have a slightly higher mortality rate from COVID-19 than the global average because of the high prevalence of pre-existing chronic medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.
Earlier this month, Dr. López-Gatell, who has been spearheading Mexico’s coronavirus response, told Reuters that the nation is winning the battle against the virus but the number of deaths is likely higher than official data.
“We’re winning,” Dr. López-Gatell said. “The numbers are encouraging. We still have a very broad response capacity.”
He also warned that a second wave of the illness could strike in October.
Since late March, Mexico has urged its more than 120 million inhabitants to stay at home, practice social distancing, and suspended non-essential business activities. Dr. López-Gatell said the measures enabled Mexico to “change the course of the epidemic and have very positive effects, leading to a reduction of transmission speed and infections.”
