MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2020) Mexico has declared a health emergency to impose stricter self-isolation rules after the COVID-19 case count surpassed 1,000.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said that COVID-19 cases had gone up by 101 to 1,094 over the past 24 hours, and a total of 28 people had died since the start of the outbreak.
The same day, the General Health Council declared a 30-day health emergency in the country and introduced new restrictions to contain the spread of the virus.
"The epidemic of the COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been declared a health emergency due to force majeure circumstances. The Ministry of Health will determine all necessary follow-up actions," the General Health Council said in a statement.
According to Lopez-Gatell, the new measures take effect immediately and will remain in place until April 30.
"The first of the measures is the immediate suspension of all activities in the public, private and social sectors starting today, March 30, until April 30," the minister said.
He specified that the new measures do not apply to such essential services such as health care, security, police, army, justice and lawmaking, fundamental economic activities, the government's social programs and the maintenance of critical infrastructure.
All residents of Mexico who are not involved in these essential services should refrain from leaving home. People older than 70 years old and those in risk groups are subject to strict self-isolation.
