Most Adults Are Fully Vaccinated/Federal Works Decree

Less than 20,000 active COVID-19 cases in Mexico. Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell announced that this week began with a 17 percent reduction in COVID-19 cases. "This week, we have a reduction (in cases) that is more substantial than last week, which was 8 percent. Now we have a reduction of 17 percent. This trajectory is expected when there is already a lower epidemic intensity." In addition, López-Gatell said that there are less than 20,000 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, which shows sustained reduction.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health reported a one-day toll of 916 cases and 53 deaths in Mexico, totaling 3.8 million infections and 292,524 deaths since the beginning of the health crisis. According to data from the ministry, Monday’s count was the second-lowest reported since April 2020.

85 percent of the vaccinated adult population has the complete dosage. López-Gatell announced that 75.9 million people have been vaccinated, of which 85 percent have received the complete vaccination doses. “So far, 131,191,713 vaccines have been applied to 76 million people. Only 15 percent are pending a second dose.” López-Gatell called on the population to be vaccinated because it reduces the risk of hospitalization and mortality by 87 percent.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health reported that 99,511 new vaccines had been applied. To date, there are 75,896,683 million people vaccinated, of which 64,317,192 have received both dosages. This week, the government expects to receive a total of 4,572,810 million new doses: 980,810 from Pfizer and 2,592,000 from AstraZeneca.

AMLO: Decree on federal works will streamline processes. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stressed that the government decree on federal works was meant to speed up procedures and ensure that construction of the projects continues. “It is an agreement to streamline the procedures and guarantee that the works are not stopped due to bureaucratic procedures. It is so that the institutions and companies that are working on the Mayan Train can have confidence and speed up the procedures."

Recently, the Federal Executive published a decree that declared the government’s construction projects a matter of national security, which also allows the information related to the development of these projects to be shielded. The issuance of provisional permits or licenses can be delivered in less than five days.

Mexico will become independent in port dredging. Minister of the Navy Rafael Ojeda Durán said that by 2023 the country will be independent in the dredging of ports. According to Ojeda, in the coming years, the government will have 10 dredges that will be used for maintenance and construction of the ports. “By 2023, the Mexican state will be totally independent in the dredging of its ports, with everything that is being acquired and built.”

Two weeks ago, López Obrador reported that MX$90 billion (US$4.25 billion) would be used to improve port and customs facilities. Several of the country’s key ports are saturated to the point of crisis. The crisis has affected logistics and timing, consequently generating economic losses.