Guerrero will be the second state in Mexico to switch from orange to yellow on the federal government’s coronavirus “stoplight” risk map while the infection risk level will remain at orange light “high” in Mexico City for a 10th consecutive week between August 31 and September 6.

Governor Héctor Astudillo announced Friday that Guerrero will become a yellow light “medium” risk state as of Monday.

He said the move to yellow will allow the state to ease restrictions and as a result welcome more tourists. The governor  highlighted that hotels will be able to open more rooms and restaurants will be able to seat more diners.

Astudillo said the loosening of restrictions will boost the state economy, especially in the main tourism destinations of Acapulco, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Taxco.

“It’s good news but we still have to look after ourselves; face masks, healthy distance and … a lot of hand washing,” he said.

Guerrero has recorded 14,432 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to state data, and 1,654 deaths. There are 658 active cases in the state including 257 in the state capital Chilpancingo and 156 in Acapulco.

Hospitalizations of coronavirus patients, Covid-19 deaths and new cases have all recently declined in the state. It will become the second yellow light state in the country after Campeche, which switched to that color on August 17.

Federal health officials are expected to present a new “stoplight” map at Friday night’s coronavirus press briefing. Most of Mexico’s 32 states are orange on the current map although six – Zacatecas, Hidalgo, Baja California Sur, Nayarit, Aguascalientes and Colima – are painted red.

In Mexico City, there will be no change to the risk level next week, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum announced Friday.

“We’ll continue at the orange light [level],” she said before urging citizens to remain aware that the pandemic hasn’t ended and reminding them that maintaining a healthy distance from each another is still important.

Sheinbaum said that hospitalizations of coronavirus patients have slightly increased in recent days and therefore moving to the yellow light risk level is not currently possible.

Although Mexico City has remained orange for the past two months, the city government has gradually eased some restrictions in that period.

Bars, cantinas and other entertainment venues were permitted to reopen at reduced capacity almost three weeks ago although they had to tweak their business model and operate as if they are restaurants while theaters were allowed to reopen at 30% capacity last week.

Museums, public swimming pools, sports centers and cinemas are now also open in the capital but operating at a reduced capacity.

Sheinbaum said that large new outbreaks of the coronavirus have been avoided despite the reopening of the economy.

Mexico City has recorded 95,185 confirmed coronavirus cases and 10,370 Covid-19 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, figures far higher than those reported in the other 31 states. The federal Health Ministry estimates that there are currently 6,710 active cases in the capital.

Meanwhile, the nationwide coronavirus case tally rose to 579,914 on Thursday with 6,026 new cases registered. There are an estimated 41,786 active cases across the country.

Mexico’s official Covid-19 death toll currently stands at 62,594 with 518 additional fatalities registered on Thursday. However, several independent studies have concluded that fatalities are being significantly underreported, mainly due to a lack of Covid-19 testing.

More than 1.3 million people have now been tested for Covid-19 in Mexico but the testing rate here remains very low compared to many other countries.

Source: Milenio (sp), Infobae (sp), Sin Embargo (sp)