Mexico at ‘focal point’ of coronavirus pandemic after biggest daily rise in cases
*Mexico has reached “the peak moment” of its coronavirus outbreak, officials said, as the country recorded its largest one-day rise in cases so far.*
More than 2,409 new cases of the virus were recorded on Thursday – the first time their latest figure has surpassed 2,000.
The toll of confirmed cases in the country is now more than 40,000.
The grim milestone comes amidst strategies to ease lockdown measures and restart their economy, mainly factories near the border with the US.
Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell – an epidemiologist and Mexico’s coronavirus tsar – marked out this as “the most difficult moment of the first wave of the epidemic”.
He said that the country “could not relax measures” in place to reduce the escalation of the virus, and in alternative needs to welcome a “new normal” to prevent another wave of infections.
On Monday, some key industries – including mining, construction and automobile assembly – are scheduled to partially reopen.
*Mr López-Gatell stressed that the re-opening of these industries will be largely preparatory, with a broader restart of businesses not scheduled until 1 June.*
Government data shown on Thursday also pictured more than half of hospitals in the capital, Mexico City, were at capacity with coronavirus patients.
Earlier this month, Mexico gained a shipment of more than 200 ventilators bought from a US firm.
Source___BBC News
D5 Creation