Yucatan will continue operating under the “orange” alert after reporting that the state’s COVID positivity rate climbed slightly.
Hospitalizations were stable and the state’s positivity rate decreased by more than one percentage point, according to data released Thursday by the health ministry.
State health officials have ignored the federal “traffic light” system that placed Yucatan under a less-stringent “yellow” alert. That means restrictions on business and schools remain as they have for months.
The health ministry also announced nine deaths and 120 new cases in the previous 24 hours. It was the ninth time in the past 10 days that new infections surpassed 100. A month ago, daily new cases were closer to 55 or 60.
Since the pandemic began, Yucatan has officially counted 24,219 cases, of 20,463 have recovered. The true number is thought to be much higher, but patients have not been detected due to limited testing.
Deaths have totaled 2,719 since April.
New infections included 96 in Mérida, six in Motul, four in Ticul and Valladolid; two in Kanasín; and one each in Cenotillo, Cuncunul, Espita, Maxcanú, Progreso, Sucilá, Tizimín and Umán.
Fatalities included five men and four women between the age of 48 and 90. Three resided in Mérida, two in Valladolid; and one each in Conkal, Izamal, Oxkutzcab and Tizimín.
Current cases are broken down into two group: 899 in stable condition and allowed to recover at home, and 138 hospitalizations, four fewer than the day before.
The orange alert is one step below red, the highest level of lockdown. Yucatan will have to reach yellow and then green at the “traffic light” system before resuming business as it was before the pandemic.
