While coronavirus infections in Yucatán topped 50,000, a large group at the beach chose to party on. The fun didn’t last long.
State government personnel followed up on a surveillance operation by closing down a party at Chicxulub Puerto, where around 300 guests were packed together and mostly unmasked.
Earlier: COVID deaths include more people under 50
Most of the attendees were young, according to local media. They were also flying in the face of just about every pandemic safety measure on the books.
The party’s organizer, a man who rented the beach house, faces a 180,000-peso fine, authorities said.
The state health department, police and civil protection authorities swept in at kilometer 10.5 along the coastal highway. The area was cordoned off after it was cleared.
Social media carried videos of the conflict and the news was carried on national media outlets.
#DYinforma Durante un operativo de vigilancia, personal del Gobierno del Estado efectuó la clausura de una fiesta que se realizaba en la playa de Chicxulub Puerto con la presencia de más de 300 personas pic.twitter.com/qCIEpYEsxV
— Diario de Yucatán (@DiariodeYucatan) July 11, 2021
In addition, state personnel removed plastic chairs and tables that were placed by restaurateurs next to the local pier.
While other regions in the world have seen some relief in daily coronavirus cases, Yucatán is among the Mexican states battling an upward trend that accelerated in May.
On Sunday alone, another 260 infections were reported and 19 died in 24 hours. Half the fatalities were under 50 years old.
Public hospitals are caring for 305 patients while 2,283 are under home quarantine, some receiving oxygen, health authorities said.
Yucatán has counted 50,236 infections and 4,707 deaths since the pandemic reached the state in spring 2020.
