New coronavirus cases increased in eight states in early October, official data shows, but Covid-19 deaths are on the wane across the country.
Ruy López Ridaura, director of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control Programs (Cenaprece), presented data at the Health Ministry’s coronavirus press briefing on Sunday that showed that Aguascalientes, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Durango, Hidalgo, Nuevo León, Querétaro and Zacatecas recorded a spike in new case numbers in epidemiological week 41, which ran from October 4 to 10.
Durango saw the biggest increase among those eight states, with new case numbers rising 46% compared to epidemiological week 40.
The next biggest increases were in Chihuahua, Querétaro and Zacatecas, where new case numbers increased by 37%, 35% and 23%, respectively.
Aguascalientes, Nuevo León, Coahuila and Hidalgo recorded increases of 20%, 13%, 12% and 5%, respectively.
The risk of coronavirus infection in all eight states where new cases increased between October 4 and 10 is orange light “high,” according to the federal government’s stoplight system.
Nationally, new case numbers declined 1% in epidemiological week 41 compared to the week before.
However, López said that it is “very probable” that new case numbers actually increased in week 41 because cases from that week are still being registered by health authorities.
An increase in new case numbers between October 4 and 10 would bring to an end a decline that was maintained for several weeks from mid-August.
With regard to Covid-19 deaths, numbers declined in all 32 states in week 41 for a national reduction of 51% compared to the previous week.
Campeche and Chiapas didn’t record a single death between October 4 and 10, according to data presented by López.
Earlier in the press briefing, the Cenaprece chief announced that Mexico’a accumulated tally of confirmed cases had increased to 851,227 and that the official Covid-19 death toll had risen to 86,167.
The Health Ministry registered 4,119 new cases and 108 additional fatalities on Sunday. It estimates that there are currently 44,083 active cases across Mexico.
Mexico City continues to lead the country for accumulated cases and Covid-19 deaths, with 146,952 of the former and 14,379 0f the latter.
México state, which includes numerous municipalities in the greater metropolitan area of Mexico City, ranks second in both categories. It has recorded more than 91,000 confirmed cases and 10,218 Covid-19 deaths.
Nuevo León and Guanajuato rank third and fourth respectively for accumulated case numbers, each state having recorded more than 40,000.
Veracruz has the third highest official death toll among Mexico’s 32 states, with 4,638 fatalities as of Sunday. Puebla and Baja California rank fourth and fifth for total deaths, with 4,540 and 3,710, respectively.
Figures for both coronavirus cases and Covid-19 deaths are widely believed to be significant undercounts due to a lack of testing.
Fewer than 17,000 people per 1 million inhabitants have been tested in Mexico. By comparison, about 379,000 people per million have been tested in the United States and the rates in each of Canada, France and Chile are above 200,000 per million residents.
Despite its low testing rate, Mexico ranks 10th in the world for cases and fourth for Covid-19 deaths behind only the United States, Brazil and India.
Mexico News Daily
