1000 Covid 19 deaths in one day... AMLO acknowledges inefficiency in counting deaths

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat

1000 deaths reported yesterday surpassing daily US total---today apx 106k cases with 13k deaths...Below Guadalajara constructs a Covid19 cemetery 

Earlier I reported how difficult it was to attain Covid-19 stats from Mexico.  Furthermore, state accumulated stats did not match federal stats if in fact the federal government even had an accounting.

John Hopkins tracker from its onset, has reported the overall tally of Mexico’s cases, but were not given data to report state stats or even deaths.  That problem persists today as far as state tallies, but now it is reporting overall deaths as reported by the federal government.

 This at a time when the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, aka AMLO,     was continuing to encourage citizens to go out to eat and was recording himself at restaurants doing just that.

Most persons following Mexico agreed early on that Mexico’s numbers were grossly under-reported.  I think I referred to it as “Mexican Math”.

Today President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged that there is a problem of inefficiency in the accounting of those killed by Covid-19.

                                Above in Tijuana, creating room for burials where non exists

Questioned about the high death registration figures that have been released in the last two days, the President accepted that there is a “delay in information”.

He contends the reason is a pragmatic one, because the health sector personnel are, for the moment, more focused on “saving lives”.  Apparently in Mexico one must choose which part of a deadly crisis the country must tackle.

"Well, the numbers still seek to become current,  but there is a delay, this lag that has to do with inefficiency but also with the emergency situation because the managers, those in charge of the health sector, plus doctors, health personnel are dedicated to full time to save lives, "he said. (rather than submitting data)

"It is not given the same importance, I am not justifying it, but it happens by reporting what is happening in terms of deaths. So that delay and that delay, but we already clarified it."

"Is this situation going to continue?" He was asked.

"Yes, until it is normalized." he replied.

"But decisions are made based on these data", was interjected by a journalist.

"Yes, but we do know… we know what is happening and that is why it is reported daily, Hugo is reporting, Undersecretary of Health, Hugo López-Gatell).

“clarifications are not heard, and it can be manipulated, the most important thing, we are not going to hide anything, we are not going to lie, we have to always tell the truth, "he asserted.

López-Gatell, has said that the death toll from Covid could reach 35 thousand.

After that statement, PAN described as petty and excessive in a letter to the World Health Organization to request that they not include López-Gatell in its group of experts.

"That is meanness, it is in bad taste, it is a lack of political urbanity," AMLO criticized.

"It is good that they want to differentiate themselves from the Government, that they want to be opponents of the Government after many years that they were not, that now that we have differences, that they want to oppose everything, but there has to be a minimum of rationality, seriousness, to think about the Country, because that really seemed to me an excess, it is not correct, it is not adequate ".

Travel ban expires at the end of June

The current non-essential travel ban for land-travel to Mexico for "tourism and recreational in nature" currently expires on June 22, 2020. This action does not apply to air, rail, or sea travel. 

From State Department

Country-Specific Information:

Mexico confirmed 97,326 positive cases of COVID-19 within its borders as of June 2.  Authorities continue to investigate additional suspected cases.  The Mexican Ministry of Health (Spanish) publishes daily updates on the number of cases.

On April 21, the Mexican government announced the start of Phase 3 of the pandemic, meaning widespread community transmission, thousands of cases of infection, and increased numbers of patients requiring hospitalization.

Please see the latest informationabout the status of consular operations including routine appointments and emergency services.

Entry and Exit Requirements:

The United States and Mexico entered a joint initiative March 21 restricting non-essential travel along the U.S.-Mexico land border to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  Non-essential travel includes travel that is considered tourism or recreational in nature.  The restrictions are in place until at least June 22.

Travelers entering Mexico by land from the United States may be denied admission if the purpose of their visit is considered non-essential.  Travelers should carry evidence of the essential nature of their visit and evidence of their resident status in Mexico, if applicable.

Passengers and aircrew members arriving at Mexican airports may be subject to health screenings including temperature checks. Those exhibiting symptoms may be subject to additional health screening and/or quarantine.

Travelers entering Mexico via land may be subject to health screen including temperature checks.  Travelers may experience significant delays and face the possibility of being returned to the United States or quarantined in Mexico.

Mexican Immigration (INM) continues to provide law enforcement and public counter services across Mexico.  However, due to reduced staffing, members of the public might experience long wait times for routine services.  INM recommends monitoring its website and Twitter account for information about its current operating status.