New coronavirus cases and COVID-19 deaths remain well below the levels seen in recent months as the third wave of the pandemic tapers off.

The Health Ministry reported 916 new cases and 53 fatalities on Monday. A total of 57,067 new infections were reported in the first 22 days of November for a daily average of 2,594. That’s a 44% decline compared to the daily average in October and an 84% drop compared to August, which was the worst month of the pandemic for new cases.

COVID-19 deaths in the first 22 days of the month totaled 4,159 for a daily average of 189, a 46% decline compared to October and a 68% decrease compared to August.

As of Monday, Mexico’s accumulated case and death tallies stand at 3.86 million and 292,524, respectively. Estimated active cases number 17,729.

The federal government has offered vaccines to the entire adult population and is now inoculating those who chose not to get vaccinated or were unable to do so when shots were first made available. It is also planning to inoculate youths aged 15 to 17.

Over 80% of adults are vaccinated, according to the Health Ministry, and large numbers of Mexicans not included in that figure traveled to the United States to get a shot. All told, almost 131.2 million shots have been administered in Mexico, according to the latest data.

Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients are also down. There are currently just over 2,700 patients in COVID wards. According to Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell, hospital occupancy levels are down almost 90% compared to the peak of the second wave.

“In populations with a high vaccination coverage, the number of serious cases is lower because vaccines reduce hospitalizations and deaths,” he wrote on Twitter Tuesday.

Mexico News Daily