The city remains at the second-highest risk level due to the increase in the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients during the last five days, Sheinbaum explained.

“We call on all the inhabitants of Mexico City to protect themselves,” she cautioned, adding that safe distance measures and the use of face masks must continue.

Currently, 2,674 people with the coronavirus in Mexico City are in hospital, and 774 are on ventilators.

If the number of hospitalized patients with coronavirus reaches 5,000 in the Valley of México, the city will revert to the red light, or maximum risk level. 

“According to the epidemiological stoplight of the Ministry of Health, if occupancy increases to more than 5,127 beds, we would need to be taking more restrictive measures and have to return to a red light and stay like that for several weeks so that we can drop the level of hospitalization in the city,” Sheinbaum warned.

Not changing the trend of the virus could lead to exponential growth and a return to maximum-risk restrictions by October. 

Permitted activities will remain unchanged next week, although businesses in the city’s historic center, where the largest crowds of people have been seen, will close at 5 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. and will be closely monitored for compliance.

As of Friday, officials said, there have been 66,444 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Mexico City and 8,638 deaths. Active cases currently number 4,638.

Source: Reforma (sp), Aristeguinoticias (sp), Milenio (sp)