New COVID-19 variants fuel mortality among under 50s in Yucatán
COVID-19 mortality numbers continue to trend younger in Yucatán.
Of the 273 people to perish from the virus in the first two weeks of July, 42.8% were under 50.
To complicate things even further, young people without comorbidities such as diabetes or obesity are starting to die in larger numbers.
Health authorities are warning that the trend is likely fueled by new, more infectious variants of the virus, as well as a lax attitude towards infection.
Daily infections in Yucatán surged to an all-time high of 315 on July 2, but have been slowly declining since, and are now averaging just under 200.
Earlier: New idea could see Mexico City bars ‘card’ patrons for proof of vaccination
Though some segments of Yucatán’s population, especially younger people in Mérida, have been quick to accept COVID-19 vaccines, this has not been the case everywhere.
Several rural municipalities in the state and even some larger centers such as Progreso have consistently reported low turnouts at vaccination centers.
But the problem is not exclusive to Yucatán, as other Mexican states including Chiapas and Tabasco have reported similar situations.
Roughly 80% of all people in Yucatán who died while fighting COVID-19 in the past month had not been vaccinated against the virus.
To date, Mexico has administered nearly 55 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines but has fully immunized only 17% of its population of 127.6 million.