Coronavirus: Mexico City to re-enter lockdown due to rising COVID-19 hospitalizations

Mexican authorities said on Friday that they would re-impose lockdown measures in Mexico City and the State of Mexico amid surging COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

With hospital capacity close to 75 percent, a level similar to June's, and year-end festivities around the corner, the measures aimed to reduce mobility and curb the transmission of the virus.

Starting Saturday and until January 10, all non-essential businesses will once again close in Mexico City and the State of Mexico, which surrounds the capital on three sides, Mexican Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell told reporters.

"Extraordinary measures are required to reduce infections, hospitalizations, and most of all deaths in the next three weeks," said Lopez-Gatell.

Mexico City, the epicenter of the national outbreak, has registered 277,733 cases and 15,083 deaths.

A total of 1,289,298 people have been tested positive for the COVID-19 nationwide with 116,487 deaths from the disease.

(ANI/Xinhua)

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