Contagion to Peak on May 6 / Bed Availability Guaranteed

May 6 will mark the peak for the pandemic. Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell projected that the COVID-19 pandemic would reach peak contagion on May 6. “One more week to reach the peak and from there the numbers will start to decline,” he said. López-Gatell explained that hygiene and social distancing measures must be followed to flatten the curve. “If we start leaving our houses, there will be an increase in the pandemic,” he warned.

Hospital beds are available in Mexico City. Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell said there are still beds available in Mexico City to care for COVID-19 patients, despite the saturation at some hospitals. “Some hospitals are at capacity but this doesn’t mean that the entire system is at its limit,” he said. President López Obrador has guaranteed there would be enough beds in Mexico City but not in every hospital. He said that, for example, INER is seeing high demand because of its good reputation, but cannot receive more patients at the moment so people must go to another hospital.

Mexico City’s capacity expanded. Mexico City Head of Government Claudia Sheinbaum said that from next week, another four hospitals will care exclusively for COVID-19 patients, in addition to the five currently focused on the virus. “In Mexico City, we have five hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 and next week we will have nine,” she said. Sheinbaum said there are 62 hospitals in the Metropolitan Area (which includes Mexico City and State of Mexico municipalities) suitable to care for COVID-19 patients.

SAT debtors are paying up. President López Obrador said that some of the companies that owe the Treasury (SAT) have already started to normalize their situation. “Some debtors are paying up without the need to file complaints,” he said. The president highlighted that agreeing to terms is a positive development, unlike the situation of those who are still resisting. “We are going to fulfill our duty. This is not a threat or fiscal terrorism,” he said.

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Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish