Mexican Oil and Gas Old Guard Joins Fight Against COVID-19

Grupo Protexa, Mexico’s original offshore service company in the oil and gas industry, announced that it has joined forces with the General Hospital Dr. Eduardo Liceaga to carry out tests for a new respirator prototype. The partnership will work towards the certification of the respirator named Tidal, which Grupo Protexa hopes will soon be able to be put to work helping medical staff at the hospital, located in Mexico City’s Doctores neighborhood.

According to a press release from the company, Tidal has been in development at Grupo Protexa’s XLab innovation facility since March. Once positive tests results are received, the prototype must be reviewed by the Federal Commission for the Protection Against Health Risks (COFEPRIS) before the company can begin mass production.

“This project is the result of more than two months of intensive research, development and construction of prototypes. For us, it has been a real learning experience to create critical products in record time," said Francisco Lobo, Vice

President of Innovation and Director of XLab. “We are doing this to help patients that are sick from COVID-19 and contribute to the country in the way we know best, from our research center,” Lobo added.

The National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) considers Tidal to be among the most promising respirator prototypes for mass production. The respirator boasts a “robust electromechanical and digital control system” and a simple but effective interface that allows health professionals to monitor patients remotely.

Guadalupe Guerrero Avendaño, Director of the General Hospital Dr. Eduardo Liceaga, explained the hospital’s willingness to be involved in the trials. "We are very excited to be part of this project and will add medical knowledge to this device," she said.

Mexico’s death count from COVID-19 now sits at 33,226 following yesterday’s announcement of 730 deaths in the previous 24 hours. The country has the fifth-highest world death count and is expected to overtake fourth-placed Italy in the next few days. Yesterday, the country registered a second consecutive day of record new cases, adding another 7,280 cases to take the total figure to 282,283 nationwide. It now sits in ninth position in the world, behind the UK.