World Health Organization warns first wave of coronavirus is not over
International health officials warn the world is still in the middle of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic; Jonathan Serrie reports from Atlanta.
Mexican health officials warned Tuesday that the peak of coronavirus cases could still be “several” weeks away as overall cases continue to rise daily.
Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said Mexico still hasn’t “reached the maximum point.”
"For several more weeks, we will keep announcing there are more cases today than yesterday," Lopez-Gatell said.
A view of the Iztapalapa neighborhood of Mexico City, Wednesday, June 3, 2020. (AP)
Latin America has become the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks while much of the world has reported a decline.
As of Tuesday, Mexico has recorded around 88,200 cases of the novel coronavirus with more than 14,000 deaths -- though health experts say the actual figures are likely much higher.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington last week forecasted at least 75,500 deaths in Mexico by August -- significantly higher than the Mexican government’s projection of 35,000 deaths by October, Reuters reported.
MEXICO RECORDS MORE CORONAVIRUS DEATHS IN A DAY THAN IN UNITED STATES
Tuesday’s forecast came as coast resorts of Cancun and the Riviera Maya began welcoming their first tourists, after more than two months when almost all the hotels were closed.
The few dozen tourists who showed up Monday at the 41 hotels that have partly reopened are a mere symbolic trickle compared to the 23 million that crowded the coast last year, bringing about $15 billion to the local economy.
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Hotels will only be allowed to reach 30 percent of their capacity to avoid crowding. More capacity will be allowed later with some hotels hoping to reach 50 percent of capacity in July. Before the pandemic, occupancy rates of 85 percent were not uncommon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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