Dec 18, 2020 - World

Mexico City bans nonessential activities as COVID-19 cases overwhelm hospitals

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Relatives of patients hospitalized in the General Hospital of Zone 1 of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) wait for reports in Mexico City — Relatives of patients hospitalized in the General Hospital of Zone 1 of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) wait outside for updates. Photo: Alfredo Estrella/AFP via Getty Images

Mexico City and the neighboring State of Mexico will ban nonessential activities in an effort to curb a spike in COVID-19 cases that has overwhelmed hospitals, officials announced Friday.

Driving the news: Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said hospital capacity is at about 75%, but the federal government put the number at 80%, per AP. Families have reported searching for hours to find open hospital beds in the capital.

Details: Starting Saturday, restaurants must close except for takeout.

Many nonessential stores must also close and cultural activities will be postponed or cancelled.
The restrictions will last until at least Jan. 10.
Friday's announcement comes as shopping centers and stores have seen an uptick in customers for the holiday season.

What they're saying: "With these extraordinary measures we will help reduce infections and hospitalizations in the Valley of Mexico," deputy health minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell tweeted Friday.

"I know it is difficult, but I ask everyone for one last effort," added Sheinbaum, who said the city was on an "emergency alert for COVID-19" last week.

The big picture: Mexico has nearly 1.3 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 116,480 deaths as of Friday afternoon, per Johns Hopkins University data, though the numbers are believed to be much higher.

Mexico City has confirmed more than 19,000 coronavirus-related deaths, and about 20% of the country's cases, per Bloomberg News.

Worth noting: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has called lockdowns and face-mask mandates tactics of "dictatorship," per AP.

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Mexico City bans nonessential activities as COVID-19 cases overwhelm hospitals

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