The World Health Organization (WHO) has applauded the work and the measures put in place by the government to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

“The WHO wishes to congratulate the government of Mexico for the firm social and public health measures it has adopted to date, including the imposition of strict restrictions on movement and the temporary stoppage of the activity of large companies to limit the spread of Covid-19,” the international organization wrote in a letter posted Tuesday to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Twitter account, congratulating President López Obrador on his government’s response to the health crisis. 

The WHO also pointed out that the federal government’s financial aid plan “demonstrates its long-term vision of the way to go and its willingness to prioritize the interests of its citizens.”

In Mexico, the aid plan has been widely criticized for not going far enough to help small and medium sized businesses weather the crisis and continue to provide employment.

The international organization also applauded the decision of the government to maintain restrictive measures.

“The world will not be able to beat this virus until all member states are able to detect suspicious cases and test them, as well as locate and isolate the contacts of the sick.”

With a population of around 120 million, Mexico has only conducted about 230,000 coronavirus tests, one of the lowest rates in the Western Hemisphere, and Mexico has seen more deaths thus far than China. 

Mexico, which did not declare a health emergency until March 30, had 74,560 confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of Tuesday, when deaths reached a record high of 501 in a single day, bringing the total coronavirus death toll to 8,134.

Source: ABC News (en), El Financiero (sp)