The recent increase in COVID-19 cases could mean a return to more restrictive measures to contain the virus, said Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal.
Daily new cases have shot up to as high as 170 in the last week, more than three times the number in mid-May when restrictions were relaxed. The increase is mainly among people in their 20’s, he said.
The consequences could affect everyone, especially businesses.
“On Thursday we will evaluate the indicators again and the federal government will do the same on Friday,” said Vila Dosal, “and we could stay in yellow or we could go to orange, depending on the results of the indicators.”
Under the so-called traffic-light system, the state languished for 10 months on orange-level alert. It meant curfews for drivers, empty hotel rooms, unused tables in restaurants, and strict restrictions on weddings, birthdays and even religious observances.
Vila Dosal spoke Tuesday during a press conference at old La Plancha train station, where Centro residents were getting vaccinated.
He assured the public that hospital capacity remains under control. Public medical centers housed 167 patients on Tuesday, compared to over 500 at the height of the crisis last summer.
That’s an important data point in deciding which levers to press to control the contagion.
Most new patients have cases mild enough to avoid hospitalization, but their numbers are increasing steadily. On Tuesday, 915 coronavirus patients were recovering at home, up by 336 in the past seven days.
Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tamaulipas and Baja California Sur also showed an increase in infections, federal health officials said.
With information from La Jornada Maya
