New closure for Uxmal archaeological site
The archaeological site of Uxmal has temporarily closed its doors due to two confirmed COVID-19 infections.
According to the press statement by the INAH, the COVID-19 virus was detected in two tour guides on June 5, 2021.
Authorities have not said how long the popular attraction will remain closed but indicated that they would investigate the confirmed cases and sanitize the entire facilities before reopening.
The news is yet another blow to the tourism industry in Yucatán which has been struggling to turn a profit since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Earlier: Ancient monuments in Teotihuacan endangered by illegal construction
The closure of Uxmal comes on the heels of similar closures at other archaeological sites such as Tulum and Chichén Itzá.
“After such a long time without any work, they just go ahead and close down the site. We have had to reimburse several clients for cancellations, it’s a very hard blow,” said Addy Sánchez Rivera, President of Yucatán’s tour agency association.
Although many of the most popular archaeological sites in Mexico reopened to tourism in September 2020, several others remain closed.
Archaeological sites in Mexico are managed by the country’s National Institute of History and Anthropology, INAH.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer, adventure leader, and PhD candidate. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
