The pandemic has cost lives as well as the global economy, and while countries in Europe are starting to open up due to a significant decline in infections, Latin American nations have yet to reach a stalemate.
Mexico Passes 10,000-Mark in COVID-19 Deaths
On Monday, Mexico logged 237 new deaths linked to the novel coronavirus, bringing the country's total death toll to 10,167. There were also 2,771 new confirmed cases. The country now has a total of 93,435 infections.
The developments drove Mexico to become the seventh hardest-hit country in the world in terms of death. In Latin America alone, the country is second in the most number of deaths linked to COVID-19.
The news came amid a much-debated reopening that health authorities have been warning against.
Reopening Still at Hand Despite Spiking Infections and Deaths
Despite increasing deaths and infections, the Mexican government touted a nationwide reopening that will see social distancing measures lifted save for a few red zones recognized as coronavirus hotspots.
Amid the expected reopening of Mexico, health authorities have been warning that early reopening may not work in tandem with efforts to contain the virus. Still President Andrés López Obrador believes reopening is necessary.
Like Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Obrador has publicly spoken up against stay-at-home orders, stating that these anti-coronavirus measures are dealing a hard blow to the local and global economy.
On the other hand, Obrador also pledged that should the easing of containment measures lead to a spike in new COVID-19 infections in his country, he will shut down business operations and other activities that draw crowds again.
Mexico's Anti-Coronavirus Measures
There have been protests about Mexico's upcoming reopening but the government has also been working to balance the reopening measures and COVID-19 control methods.
Last week, the government announced a digital payment system so Mexicans can pay their bills online. The move was part of the efforts to help people avoid getting in line and prevent the breach of social distancing protocols.
Several states such as Michoacan have also established call hotlines where vulnerable women and children can ask for assistance as the economy continues to slump.
Other states, in a bid to prevent further infections, implemented border control systems such as limiting the number of people from entering their borders. Residents from Mexico City and other hard-hit regions are among those who have been held in border control stations.
Calls for More Protection on the Frontline
While the government is discussing how to reopen the economy without risking a resurgence in new COVID-19 cases, workers on the frontline in Mexico have called for better protection from the virus.
Health personnel across the country have been holding non-violent protests to call for additional protection from the government as they fight the virus face-to-face.
Government officials have said that there is adequate protective equipment available for health workers and frontliners. However, thousands of personnel in the healthcare sector have tested COVID-19 positive.
As of last week, the health ministry logged over 11,000 cases among healthcare workers, with another 8,275 considered as "suspicious" cases as they wait for test results.
Some nurses also revealed while protesting outside the National Institute of Respiratory Illnesses that due to the lack of safety gear, they were forced to reuse gowns and masks. It remains to be seen how the government will respond to the crisis.
