Mexico reports first death from coronavirus, cases rise by 27% in 24 hours

Mexico has reportedly registered its first demise from the novel coronavirus and cases surged by 27 per cent within 24 hours in the country. The fatality was a 41-year-old diabetic Mexican man who contracted the disease and was under medical supervision in an isolated facility, health ministry confirmed. As of now, Mexico has recorded 118 new cases from 93 a day earlier. 

According to the reports, the deceased had symptoms of chronic illness since March 9 and was a patient of diabetes since over the years, the ministry said on its official Twitter handle. Mexico detected the first case of the COVID-19 in the month of February prompting the government to explore prospects to control the spread from the disease. 

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador ruled out closing airports and other tough measures to curb the pandemic earlier March 18, saying he’s trying to prevent a complete shutdown of the economy that would hurt the poor, as per the reports. Health authorities have sounded growing concern about the pandemic’s impact on the country, where the health system is in the midst of what has been a challenging shake-up of drug procurement, an agency report claimed.  

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Mexican government condemned

Obrador was quoted saying in a press conference that the ongoing pandemic was the reality and the days had begun. He further said that the very moment Mexico had detected the cases, it had entered the community transmission stage. He said that he would keep the country informed about the containment measures. The Mexican government has reportedly faced condemnation for allowing public gatherings at large music festivals planned over the weekend, including Vive Latino in Mexico City, where about 70,000 people assembled. 

The government has been criticized for taking a relaxed approach in combating the pandemic. Mexican Deputy Health Secretary Hugo Lopez-Gatell said in a conference that the President had not needed to test for the coronavirus even though he had extensively travelled to rural regions, as per the reports. 

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