20 Percent of Cases Are Active
The Ministry of Health reported 239 more deaths from COVID-19 bringing the total to 7,633 while 2,485 new confirmed cases increased the national amount to 71,105. Over 225,650 people have been tested since the first case was recorded of which 125,036 tested negative.
In today’s briefing, Director of Epidemiology José Luis Alomía said 14,020 of positive cases are active, which represents 20 percent of the total. Mexico City and State of Mexico register the highest number of active cases, followed by Tabasco, Veracruz and Sinaloa.
Globally there are over 5.3 million confirmed positive cases, of which 1.3 are active, according to John Hopkins University. The global fatality rate is 6.4 percent.
As of Monday, May 25
2,485 new cases (from yesterday)
71,105 confirmed cases nationwide
29,509 under investigation
7,633 deaths
Impact on markets (19.30 hrs)
US Dollar MX$22.62 (-0.59%)
BMV IPC 35,832.77 (0.14%)
Dow Jones 24,465.16 (----)
López-Gatell adds masks to recommendations
Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell said the use of masks will be an auxiliary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in work places. “In the transition to the new normal, the face mask will be an auxiliary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Face masks are added to hygiene and social distancing measures to prevent coronavirus and other infections,” he wrote in his Twitter account, after saying in recent weeks that their use did not represented any significant impact on infection rates.
Mexico City cuts expenditure 50 percent
Mexico City’s expenditure will be reduced by 50 percent to cope with the federal austerity plan, Head of Government Claudia Sheinbaum said. “There has to be an even greater reduction than the one already done. This is the corner stone of our government: national austerity,” she said in a video conference and highlighted that despite the reduction there will be no major affectation to public services or layoffs for base workers. During April 150,000 jobs were lost in city due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheinbaum said.
PEMEX sales down as production increases
PEMEX’s income from gasoline and fuels sales fell 48 percent from March to April, according to company’s data. Its income went from MX$23.60 billion in March to MX$12.26 billion in April. Flight restrictions also had an impact on domestic jet fuel sales, which plunged by 91 percent. PEMEX also extracted 1.72 million barrels of crude oil per day in April, a mild increase compared to the 1.67 million produced the same month last year.
Bank of America expects 10 percent contraction
Bank of America (BofA) revised downward its estimate of Mexico's GDP for this year and forecasts a 10 percent contraction from a previous 8 percent decline. It also said that in the second quarter the country's economy could contract 40 percent from a previous estimate of minus 34 percent. By 2021 BofA expects the Mexican economy to advance 2 percent, from a projection of 4.5 percent.
Mexico City plan to be presented Monday
Mexico City government will present a new security plan next Monday as part of the start of the new normal after the COVID-19 peak. According to Mexico City Head of Government Claudia Sheinbaum this project will include an orientation program to the people on what measures should be implemented due to the contingency. “Right now, we are still at a red light. We are still in the health emergency,” she said.