The number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Mexico passed 100 million on Tuesday, 278 days after the first shot was given on Christmas Eve.
The federal Health Ministry reported Wednesday that just over 100.5 million shots have been given after 648,293 jabs were administered Tuesday.
Only eight other countries have administered more vaccines than Mexico, according to The New York Times vaccinations tracker. They are China, India, the United States, Brazil, Japan, Indonesia, Turkey and Germany.
However, on a per capita basis Mexico ranks 75th with 78 shots given per 100 people. Exactly 50% of Mexicans have received at least one shot, according to the Times tracker, while 35% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Among the eligible population – people aged 18 and over – the first dose vaccination rate is just over 70%, according to the Health Ministry.
Despite the growing vaccination rate, Mexico continues to record hundreds of COVID-19 deaths every day. An average of 594 fatalities per day were recorded last month as case numbers reached a pandemic peak, while the average in the first 29 days of September was 608.
The vast majority of people currently dying from COVID-19 are unvaccinated, data indicates. Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell said recently that over 95% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are not vaccinated.
In other COVID-19 news:
• The Health Ministry reported 9,796 new coronavirus cases and 596 additional COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, lifting Mexico’s accumulated tallies to 3.65 million and 276,972, respectively.
There are 62,098 estimated active cases, a 1.4% increase compared to Tuesday.
• The coronavirus positivity rate in Mexico is currently 34%, according to Health Ministry data, meaning that one in three people tested is infected. Data shows that the rate is above 50% in three states: Campeche, Puebla and Quintana Roo.
According to World Health Organization guidelines, a coronavirus outbreak cannot be considered under control if the positivity rate is above 10%.
Mexico’s positivity rate has been high throughout the pandemic as testing has mainly been used to confirm the cause of serious illness rather than to control the spread of the virus.
• Mexico is the 33rd best country to be in during the pandemic, according to Bloomberg’s COVID resilience rankings, which were updated Tuesday.
On a monthly basis since November, Bloomberg has graded 53 countries with economies larger than US $200 billion to determine where the virus has been handled most effectively with the least amount of disruption to business and society.
Mexico, which ranked last earlier this year, rose seven places in the latest rankings.
“The United Arab Emirates and Mexico rose nine and seven places respectively, as domestic restrictions became less stringent amid falling cases and deaths,” Bloomberg said in its “notable movers” explainer.
Ireland currently ranks as the best country to be in, while the Philippines is in last place.
• There are just over 7,500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients across Mexico, according to federal data, which also shows that general care COVID wards are at capacity in 63 hospitals.
Puebla has the highest occupancy rate for general care beds among the 32 states with 48% currently taken. Aguascalientes and Morelos rank second and third with rates of 48% and 46%, respectively.
Tabasco has the highest occupancy rate for beds with ventilators with 45% currently in use. Close behind are Aguascalientes and Mexico City with rates of 44% and 40%, respectively.
Mexico News Daily
