Merida accounts for less than half the state’s population, but the capital city is where 86% of Yucatan’s coronavirus infections have been detected, the federal Health Ministry reported.
The statistic is a rare barometer of how the health crisis hit Yucatan geographically, since the state is one of several not to share town-by-town numbers.
Residents in smaller towns suspected Merida was Yucatan’s main source of the virus when they blocked roads to prevent traffic from the city.
On Friday, Izamal Mayor Fermina Sosa Lugo announced five suspected cases of coronavirus in the municipality and bus service between that city and Merida became hard to find. Meanwhile, the mayor of Hunucmá, José Alberto Padrón Romero, reported the first case of the virus in his municipality.
Indicating the spread of the virus from big cities into smaller communities, a small community, south of Motul, called Muxupip reported that a 29-year-old man is the tiny pueblo’s first COVID-19 patient.
If true, that would dash the municipality’s hope of being part of an early release from federal quarantine orders. Muxupip was included in a list of Yucatan towns with no reported infections, and could be fast-tracked to a “return to normal,” meaning schools and shops could re-open.
Fifty municipalities in Yucatan are on Mexico’s early list:
- West: Kinchil, Kopomá and Opichén
- Northwest: Tahmek, Tixkokob and Baca
- Center: Cuzamá, Hocobá, Xocchel, Sanahcat, Huhí, Homún and Cuzamá
- Central coast region: Motul, Bokobá, Cacalchén, Cansahcab, Dzemul, Dzidzantún, Dzilam de Bravo, Dzilam González, Dzoncauich, Muxupip, Sinanché, Suma de Hidalgo, Telchac Pueblo, Telchac Puerto, Temax and Yobaín
- Northeast: San Felipe, Buctzotz and Cenotillo
- East: Kaua, Tinum, Dzitás, Quintana Roo, Chankom, Chikindzonot, Peto, Tahdziú, Sotuta, Tixcacalcupul, Cantamayec and Chacsinkín
- South: Tixméhuac, Tzucacab, Tekit, Mama, Chumayel and Mayapán
Conkal joined a list of cities that will be under federal quarantine orders until the end of May: Mérida, Valladolid, Kanasín, Progreso, Chemax, Umán, Akil, Calotmul, Hunucmá, Izamal, Ticul and Tizimín.
Their neighboring communities, because of their proximity to those cities, are also under lockdown for the same duration.
- Mérida: Abalá, Tecoh, Timucuy, Tixpéhual and Yaxkukul
- Valladolid: Chichimilá, Tekom, Cuncunul, Uayma and Temozón
- Kanasín: Acanceh, Seyé and Tixpéhual
- Progreso: Chicxulub Pueblo, Ixil and Ucú
- Umán: Chocholá and Samahil
- Akil: Oxkutzcab, Tekax, Peanuts and Teabo
- Hunucmá: Celestún, Tetiz, Samahil and Ucú
- Izamal: Hoctún, Kantunil, Sudzal, Tunkás, Tekal de Venegas, Teya, Tepakán, Tekantó and Bokobá
- Ticul: Santa Elena, Muna, Sacalum, Dzan and Chapab
- Tizimín: Espita, Sucilá, Panabá and Río Lagartos
- Conkal: Mocochá
{ Follow the latest developments in Yucatan’s fight against coronavirus here. }
