Covid 19 Mexico

[easyrider]

The US Embassy reports there are about 2,200 cases in all of Mexico.

COVID-19 Information - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico

mx.usembassy.gov

It kind of looks like Baja MX is on the light side of cases of Covid 19. Most of the cases involve people that brought it to Cabo where it has spread a bit.

https://coronavirus.bcs.gob.mx/english/

Puerto Vallarta area is also on the light side of confirmed cases of covid 19. Could be no testing, idk.

Puerto Vallarta confirms second death of COVID-19 in two days

The state Health Secretariat reported today of two other deaths in Jalisco by COVID -19, including another in Puerto Vallarta. Fernando Petersen, Health

www.vallartadaily.com

Yucatan Peninsula is also on the light side of cases.

Coronavirus News – UPDATES For The Riviera Maya & Cancun

We update this blog weekly with the latest stats (every Monday) but feel free to click the hyperlinks for yourself to see the most up-to-date statistics. Stay up-to-date with Coronavirus News - UPDATES For The Riviera Maya & Cancun here!

www.playadelcarmen.com

Oddly, there were about 2,600 murders in Mexico last March compared to about 2,200 reported cases of covid 19.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/03/mexico-murder-rate-homicide-coronavirus-covid-19

Usually by now I have made reservations for winter in Mexico. Currently I have zero weeks booked because I can't make any reservations because every one is closed. I bet Mexico is pretty quiet next winter in the same way as when the swine flu was a problem. We will see.

Bill

 

[simon63]

The Dow surged because the c19 pandemic may be peaking, I still with my reservation to Cancun for the end of June.

 

[easyrider]

The Dow surged because the c19 pandemic may be peaking, I still with my reservation to Cancun for the end of June.

I hope you make it. My resort in Mexico is mainly the Villa Group. Supposedly, they are opening again on April 17. We will see.

Bill

 

[TravelTime]

Interesting article about how COVID-19 started in Mexico.

——-
Coronavirus Cases Among World’s Elite Stoke Class Tensions

MEXICO CITY—More than 500 wealthy Mexicans, including many of the country’s financial and business elite, spent their annual winter vacation in the luxe resort town of Vail, Colo. Over two carefree weeks, they skied, shopped, hosted gatherings in their condos, and dined on sushi and steak at trendy restaurants.

By the time they returned to Mexico in early March, at least 50 of them had Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, including the head of Mexico’s stock exchange and the chief executive of the company that owns José Cuervo tequila, according to accounts collected by The Wall Street Journal.

Hundreds are now isolated in self-imposed quarantine. José Kuri, 71, a well-known businessman and cousin of billionaire telecom mogul Carlos Slim, was infected on the trip and remains hospitalized.

Mexican public health officials have identified the Vail trip as a key source of infection for the country. They believe that international competitors, some of whom traveled from Italy, brought the virus to a big snowboarding event held the weekend of Feb. 24.

The Vail trip and the infections that came with it underscore how many of the earliest cases of coronavirus, in countries both rich and poor, spread among those with the resources and leisure time to travel overseas.....

Coronavirus Cases Among World’s Elite Stoke Class Tensions

High-profile cases have stoked class tensions and fed a perception that Covid-19 is a rich people’s problem, especially in countries with high levels of economic inequality.

www.wsj.com

 

[DannyTS]

Westin Lagunamar Cancun (like all the non-essential businesses in Mexico) is closed until April 30th

 

[hurnik]

The US Embassy reports there are about 2,200 cases in all of Mexico.

COVID-19 Information - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico

mx.usembassy.gov

It kind of looks like Baja MX is on the light side of cases of Covid 19. Most of the cases involve people that brought it to Cabo where it has spread a bit.

https://coronavirus.bcs.gob.mx/english/

Puerto Vallarta area is also on the light side of confirmed cases of covid 19. Could be no testing, idk.

Puerto Vallarta confirms second death of COVID-19 in two days

The state Health Secretariat reported today of two other deaths in Jalisco by COVID -19, including another in Puerto Vallarta. Fernando Petersen, Health

www.vallartadaily.com

Yucatan Peninsula is also on the light side of cases.

Coronavirus News – UPDATES For The Riviera Maya & Cancun

We update this blog weekly with the latest stats (every Monday) but feel free to click the hyperlinks for yourself to see the most up-to-date statistics. Stay up-to-date with Coronavirus News - UPDATES For The Riviera Maya & Cancun here!

www.playadelcarmen.com

Oddly, there were about 2,600 murders in Mexico last March compared to about 2,200 reported cases of covid 19.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/03/mexico-murder-rate-homicide-coronavirus-covid-19

Usually by now I have made reservations for winter in Mexico. Currently I have zero weeks booked because I can't make any reservations because every one is closed. I bet Mexico is pretty quiet next winter in the same way as when the swine flu was a problem. We will see.

Bill

The one thing I'd caution is that Mexico is not testing many folks for COVID, so the low rates are not (IMO) necessarily indicative of reality.

 

[moonstone]

I was chatting online last evening with a friend who now lives where we winter in Corozal Belize which is about 12 miles south of the Mexican border town of Chetumal, about 4.5 hrs south of Cancun. She was saying her housekeepers sister is a nurse at the Chetumal hospital and that hospital alone has had 41 patients die of "pneumonia" in the last 2 weeks. A highly unusual number. The hospital is not testing the very sick or the newly deceased to see if they had COVID19. The staff are very worried due to the shortage of and reluctance to use any COVID testing kits. My friend feels, as do others that we know in the Cancun - Playa del Carmen area, that the government is taking the virus too lightly and not doing enough to prevent its spread. They seem to be more concerned with making their numbers look good and not loosing the tourism income.

~Diane

 

[DannyTS]

I was chatting online last evening with a friend who now lives where we winter in Corozal Belize which is about 12 miles south of the Mexican border town of Chetumal, about 4.5 hrs south of Cancun. She was saying her housekeepers sister is a nurse at the Chetumal hospital and that hospital alone has had 41 patients die of "pneumonia" in the last 2 weeks. A highly unusual number. The hospital is not testing the very sick or the newly deceased to see if they had COVID19. The staff are very worried due to the shortage of and reluctance to use any COVID testing kits. My friend feels, as do others that we know in the Cancun - Playa del Carmen area, that the government is taking the virus too lightly and not doing enough to prevent its spread. They seem to be more concerned with making their numbers look good and not loosing the tourism income.

~Diane

I would caution everyone to relate anecdotal evidence that is second and third hand. Please correct me if I am wrong but that is a small city of about 150,000 people. 42 Coronavirus deaths at a single hospital would mean more deaths per capita than New York city, very hard for me to believe that because NY is an International travel hub and it has a very dense population which makes the contamination more likely.

Mexico has banned all non essential work until April 30th. The hotels are closed. The currency is down 35%. A test costs about 50-100 dollars and they have limited resources and no capacity to borrow limitless amounts. If they had more money they would invest in better health care for the locals but unfortunately that is not the case.

 

[moonstone]

I would caution everyone to relate anecdotal evidence that is second and third hand. Please correct me if I am wrong but that is a small city of about 150,000 people. 42 Coronavirus deaths at a single hospital would mean more deaths per capita than New York city, very hard for me to believe that because NY is an International travel hub and it has a very dense population which makes the contamination more likely.
Mexico has banned all non essential work until April 30th. The hotels are closed. The currency is down 35%. A test costs about 50-100 dollars and they have limited resources and no capacity to borrow limitless amounts. If they had more money they would invest in better health care for the locals but unfortunately that is not the case.

I thought that figure was high as well but I was passing on what we were told. Chetumal's population is now around 200,000 people. We spent about 30hrs in Chetumal on March 21/22 while waiting for a flight home after our winter stay 12 miles south of there in Belize. The Chetumal hotel we stayed in was about 1/3 to 1/2 full. While there we saw articles in the local paper about crowding at the hospital but COVID19 was never mentioned. Sam's Club, Walmart and other shops we walked past were their normal busy. There was absolutely no social distancing even though we had read it was being started in the US and Canada. We ate 3 meals out in 3 different restaurants during our stay, and looked in then decided not to enter 2 others due to crowding. At the Chetumal Airport there were quite a few people wearing medical masks but taking them off and laying them on the table or bench while they ate or drank. I saw one child wiping the bench with hers then putting it back on her face while her parents were looking at their phones. There was a pump bottle of hand sanitizer at the cashier counter of the airport café and nearly everybody was using it after paying for their purchases.

We have completed our 14 days of in-home quarantine and thankfully it appears we didn't pickup the virus in town or in any of the 3 airports we traversed through on the way home.


~Diane

 

[DannyTS]

I thought that figure was high as well but I was passing on what we were told. Chetumal's population is now around 200,000 people. We spent about 30hrs in Chetumal on March 21/22 while waiting for a flight home after our winter stay 12 miles south of there in Belize. The Chetumal hotel we stayed in was about 1/3 to 1/2 full. While there we saw articles in the local paper about crowding at the hospital but COVID19 was never mentioned. Sam's Club, Walmart and other shops we walked past were their normal busy. There was absolutely no social distancing even though we had read it was being started in the US and Canada. We ate 3 meals out in 3 different restaurants during our stay, and looked in then decided not to enter 2 others due to crowding. At the Chetumal Airport there were quite a few people wearing medical masks but taking them off and laying them on the table or bench while they ate or drank. I saw one child wiping the bench with hers then putting it back on her face while her parents were looking at their phones. There was a pump bottle of hand sanitizer at the cashier counter of the airport café and nearly everybody was using it after paying for their purchases.

We have completed our 14 days of in-home quarantine and thankfully it appears we didn't pickup the virus in town or in any of the 3 airports we traversed through on the way home.


~Diane

No question they were late compared to other countries. Most of the containment measures were put in place after you left. This is happening in Cabos for example (Google translation):

Approximately 700 bathers have been removed from the beaches
Surveillance tours are carried out permanently in Los Cabos

During beach surveillance tours they inform people that they must stay indoors to prevent the spread and spread of the Covid-19 virus. Photo: Courtesy | Los Cabos Town Hall

Veronica Gonzalez | The Sudcaliforniano
Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, (OEM-Informex). - Specific actions carried out by the Municipal Directorate of Civil Protection of Los Cabos together with the members of the Municipal Council of Civil Protection, from Tuesday March 31, announced the closure of beaches by the health contingency derived from Covid-19-, to the date, an approximate 700 bathers have been asked to retire on the different beaches of the tourist destination, as announced by Eric Santillán Castillo, head of the agency.
He commented that there have been permanent tours of each of the beaches in the municipality, in which they have met groups of 5 to 30 bathers and campers; In this sense, he stressed that, in most cases, people take the request positively and understand the reason why they are asked to return to their homes.

Han retirado aproximadamente a 700 bañistas de las playas

Se realizan recorridos de vigilancia de manera permanente en Los Cabos

www.elsudcaliforniano.com.mx

 

[moonstone]

A friend from Corozal who now lives in Playa sent me the link to this article this morning. The government seems to be taking it a little more seriously now.
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/co...s4YNeC6yjPkqTkqeMWYJN6dJ7T5MwXXvMVrDn_Xaa5m-E
My friend said the maintenance people at her condo building closed off the swimming pool (but not the patio surrounding it) yesterday in case anybody caught the virus from the pool. She said the most people she has ever seen in it at one time was 5 and that included herself, so she is hoping the management doesn't think the virus can be spread in the water. Her living room window faces the pool so she just looks out at it all day. Since my friend suffers from asthma, for the last few weeks she just stayed in her condo except for daily swims in the pool and now that has ended. She stocked up on food and essentials and quit going to bars and restaurants a couple of weeks ago even before the government started ordering things shut down. A lot of people are not obeying the orders with no consequences, at least in her area. Somebody in her complex had a birthday party on the patio area next to the pool last weekend complete with a Mariachi band and dozens of people in attendance. She thought about calling the police but since she just moved into that complex in January she didn't want to make enemies with her new neighbours.

~Diane

 

[Carol C]

I would caution everyone to relate anecdotal evidence that is second and third hand. Please correct me if I am wrong but that is a small city of about 150,000 people. 42 Coronavirus deaths at a single hospital would mean more deaths per capita than New York city, very hard for me to believe that because NY is an International travel hub and it has a very dense population which makes the contamination more likely.

Mexico has banned all non essential work until April 30th. The hotels are closed. The currency is down 35%. A test costs about 50-100 dollars and they have limited resources and no capacity to borrow limitless amounts. If they had more money they would invest in better health care for the locals but unfortunately that is not the case.

Respectfully...are you a virologist or other kind of specialist in pandemics? That figure seems very real (and sad) to me. If you recall...18 people died in a Seattle WA nursing home...that's in a country with allegedly the "best" healthcare system, tvs in every home and institutional setting to relay public health info to the public, etc. You simply cannot compare Chetumal, a city with many poor people who largely live in large family groups (Mexican culture is different than USA when it comes to family bonds), different levels of sanitation, etc etc. I have been to Mexico more times than I can count. This "anecdotal" info is info I trust... because I understand the conditions of the poor and under-served in Mexico...which is one reason I have always over-tipped when visiting there. I thank the original poster who shared the info she learned about the scary health challenges in the Chetumal and Belize region...and for her caring for the people there.

 

[DannyTS]

Respectfully...are you a virologist or other kind of specialist in pandemics? That figure seems very real (and sad) to me. If you recall...18 people died in a Seattle WA nursing home...that's in a country with allegedly the "best" healthcare system, tvs in every home and institutional setting to relay public health info to the public, etc. You simply cannot compare Chetumal, a city with many poor people who largely live in large family groups (Mexican culture is different than USA when it comes to family bonds), different levels of sanitation, etc etc. I have been to Mexico more times than I can count. This "anecdotal" info is info I trust... because I understand the conditions of the poor and under-served in Mexico...which is one reason I have always over-tipped when visiting there. I thank the original poster who shared the info she learned about the scary health challenges in the Chetumal and Belize region...and for her caring for the people there.

No, I am not a virologist and you should have that in mind when you read my comments. Because the population is poor they just do not have the nursing homes you have in Seattle. The local population is more spread out. A number of 42 deaths in two weeks just in one hospital (I think there are several) would suggest to me a problem that is so big that would dwarf communities that are built vertically.

Also, and correct me if I am wrong, Chetumal normally gets a different type of tourist than Cancun or Riviera Maya. Those that go there may stay for weeks or months, rather than days which means a lower chance for an outbreak with several focal points starting at the same time.

I am glad we all love the people of Mexico. Mexico already has a perception of violence (deserved in many parts of the country) that keeps a lot of tourists away. My fear is that information that is well intended can lead to an additional problem that will only hurt the local population. Am I saying we should cover our eyes and not see what is happening there? No.

 

[DannyTS]

interesting article about this

Zerohedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

 

[DannyTS]

COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports . If I read this correctly, Mexico is more compliant than the United States but less than Canada

Mexico

https://www.gstatic.com/covid19/mobility/2020-04-05_MX_Mobility_Report_en.pdf

United States

https://www.gstatic.com/covid19/mobility/2020-04-05_US_Mobility_Report_en.pdf

Canada

https://www.gstatic.com/covid19/mobility/2020-04-05_CA_Mobility_Report_en.pdf

 

[PamMo]

Update on Cabo via an email I just got from Los Cabos Passport:

We are hoping that you are having a good time considering the circumstances. We want to keep you updated on what is happening in Los Cabos. There has not been any new official communication from the state or municipal authorities since our last email.

Local news has reported an outbreak in the IMSS General Hospital in Cabo San Lucas. 42 members of the 519 staff resulted in positive testing. All are in stable conditions without the need for assisted breathing and have been isolated at their homes. The outbreak started with two staff members with possible symptoms of COVID-19 and at that time measures were taken to avoid propagation. The hospital has prioritized the delivery of protection materials to the staff, currently reported as well-stocked, and the disinfection of the facilities has intensified. All personal is being monitored and sanitary filters are being placed to help detect possible infections on time.

The Health Secretary, Víctor George Flores, has reported that the first COVID-19 patient in Baja California Sur has been discharged after 21 days of household isolation and a new negative test. From all the COVID-19 patients, only 5 are hospitalized and the rest are in domiciliary confinement.

So far there are 106 suspected cases, 67 confirmed, 3 deceased and one recovered.

Remember to stay at home, keep your distance. Stay safe!

The number 800-227-26843 is available in all the state of Baja California Sur for official information and diagnosis. Authorities ask not to go to clinics and hospitals if you have flue or COVID-19 symptoms unless given instructions through this phone.

 

[easyrider]

A test costs about 50-100 dollars and they have limited resources and no capacity to borrow limitless amounts. If they had more money they would invest in better health care for the locals but unfortunately that is not the case.

I heard the hospital cost to get tested for covid 19 was between $50 - $100 and the covid 19 test cost was near $400 in Mexico. Total cost for hospital and the test is between $375 and $600 usd. Most Mexicans will not be tested for covid 19. I doubt that most Mexicans will go to the hospital with the flu because they can get anti-biotics at the pharmacy and ride it out.

Because of the low testing for covid 19, I wonder how safe Mexico will actually be next winter. I was planning on heading to Mexico and Hawaii next winter but now I might just deposit or bank all my weeks and see how it goes.

Bill

 

[simon63]

I found this news in Monterrey Mexico in spanish (50,000 free test c19 in asigned laboratories of the state)

 

[DannyTS]

Because of the low testing for covid 19, I wonder how safe Mexico will actually be next winter. I was planning on heading to Mexico and Hawaii next winter but now I might just deposit or bank all my weeks and see how it goes.

Bill

The faster it spreads now the safer will be in the winter.

 

[Passepartout]

The faster it spreads now the safer will be in the winter.

But the more people will die. Who's expendable?

 

[DannyTS]

But the more people will die. Who's expendable?

I am tired of this argument, just stay inside in the next couple of years and you will be fine. You may start to have many other problems but that is a risk you should weight yourself.

I was just replying to easyrider who seemed to be concerned that the lack of tests in Mexico might lead to a wider spread of the virus there. That is logical now but not in December because, if that is the case, a higher spread now would lead to a lot less problems in December.


Read bellow a text posted by an ER doctor in our area. The debate is about opening the schools in May. This is a google translation:

Alain Vadeboncoeur
April 10 at 10:32 PM

Do schools open in May? In the absence of an explanation, I speculate a little to try to understand.

The reasoning chosen could be as follows: firstly, as long as one does not have immunity or a vaccine, the infection will remain very difficult to "control" without measures of distancing. But the vaccine is not for tomorrow, it would be necessary to maintain the distance for a very long time. And the vaccine is not guaranteed either ...

On the one hand, we must end up opening schools, right? In this context, how do we find a way to develop disaster-free immunity? How to spread the infection in a "controlled" manner.

If you open them in May-June, for two months, you then have the summer to "get over it", months when this kind of virus generally spreads less quickly. Then we open in the fall, with part of the children immune, and therefore a lesser push in the fall.

If, on the other hand, we only open in the fall, with a viral rise in the months that follow, in the middle of winter, which generally promotes viral spread, this could be a worse scenario.

PS: And in addition, in the fall, the flu will be there. If it's a bad flu season, it could hit a little too hard.

 

[Passepartout]

I am tired of this argument, just stay inside in the next couple of years and you will be fine. You may start to have many other problems but that is a risk you should weight yourself.

I was just replying to easyrider who seemed to be concerned that the lack of tests in Mexico might lead to a wider spread of the virus there.

You may be tired of the argument, because there is no answer for it. Yes, opening the whole world up to travel, business, schools, movies, concerts and on and on would certainly quicken the 'herd immunity' of the survivors, but the healthcare providors would (and are nearly so now) be overwhelmed. More people would be dying in their homes, in hotels, in their cars in vast stadiums of death.

That vision is not one I would like to wake up to. I am one of the ones who wouldn't survive, and frankly, I AM NOT EXPENDABLE!

Jim

 

[DannyTS]

You may be tired of the argument, because there is no answer for it. Yes, opening the whole world up to travel, business, schools, movies, concerts and on and on would certainly quicken the 'herd immunity' of the survivors, but the healthcare providors would (and are nearly so now) be overwhelmed. More people would be dying in their homes, in hotels, in their cars in vast stadiums of death.

That vision is not one I would like to wake up to. I am one of the ones who wouldn't survive, and frankly, I AM NOT EXPENDABLE!

Jim

I understand your concerns. I very sincerely wish you great health and all the best with this and beyond. But I think people have to realize, they also have to evaluate their own risk in what they do. If everyone stays at home for the next six months there won't be much left of the economy and the health care system will be greatly damaged AND that does not decrease YOUR OWN risk to get infected from that moment forward. I would actually argue that your risk will be higher and that you may also have a more fragile health care system to take care of you. I was talking to someone who delivers medical equipment and he told me a lot of orders have been cancelled, and the ones that are still on are delayed because the are not produced as before. You only lack one small part in a machine and the whole production stalls. In our province the premiere (like a prime minister) said Yesterday that there is a shortage of 20 essential drugs and they are trying to resolve it. You can bet your house that if this continues for longer, you will have shortages of a lot of essential items. Central planned economies do not work where a few bureaucrats decide what is essential and what not, because many actions have unintended consequences.

If they flatten the curve now you will still have a good to great chance of getting the virus in 6 months. In your personal situation, just from a very selfish prospective because you placed yourself in the center of this discussion, you would want, once you come out, that more people had had it already, acquired immunity, so you would have a lesser chance of getting it. I am not sure why protecting the fragile, letting the others acquire immunity in a controlled manner sounds so scary to everyone, especially to those that should stay inside no matter what. I am not saying everything should be like pre-Covid and we should start hugging and kissing strangers on the street but the current approach, if not changed soon, will result in more deaths and misery all over the world IMHO.

 

[Flasher42]

At this point testing for the virus is waist full, if this were small controllable localized locations it would work. however at this late stage we need to know who has immunity or has recovered, we need the antibiotic test and cure. These people can safely Kick start our economy.
sheltering in place is a great idea to SLOW the infection and allow healthcare to manage the mass influx. And restock and prepare for the next wave which will come when quarantine lifted, we will be more prepared for the next wave.
So hopefully by late summer we can know we are safe to resume travel already exposed,recovered, inoculated. Basically if you haven’t been exposed you will be at some point.

 

[pedro47]

A national testing program would be great. It would identify hot spots in the United States ,before they breakout and then the medical profession would know where to shift medical staff and supplies IMHO.