Yucatán will remain a dry state for a month longer than planned, with the intention of maintaining its orange, high-risk level on the coronavirus stoplight system and avoiding a return to the extreme risk level.

The state’s emergency prohibition on alcohol sales was to expire August 15, but Governor Mauricio Villa Dosal announced that the ban will be extended to September 17.

“In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, we’re looking to avoid mobility, unnecessary social interaction and gatherings that don’t help prevent [virus spread] and contribute to the relaxation of disease prevention measures,” Villa said. 

Anyone in violation of the law, which falls under the state’s health codes, could be jailed for up to six years and face a fine of up to 17,376 pesos (US $776).

Acknowledging that the measures are extreme, Villa stressed that they were necessary to address such a high-risk health emergency and that they were responsible for the state’s “slight improvement” in case numbers.

“For this reason, it’s necessary to keep applying these restrictions and not let down our guard with regard to our preventative health directives.”

Yucatán has seen a total of 11,903 confirmed cases and 1,056 deaths from the coronavirus as of Tuesday, and 41% of hospital beds in the state are currently occupied.

Although Yucatán has technically seen a 14% decrease in case numbers this week, Mexico’s epidemiological director at the Secretary of Health, José Luis Alomía, warned at a press briefing Saturday that those numbers probably represent a plateau, not an actual decrease.

“Be aware that the percentage of [suspected cases] testing positive continues to increase,” he said. “It is not showing signs of a decrease. We have to keep vigilant about community spread … [and] wait and see if there is a decrease the following week.”

Sources: Milenio (sp)