Mexico's Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses 47,000 - Health Ministry

BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd August, 2020) Mexico, which has surpassed the UK in terms of the coronavirus death toll, now has a total of more than 47,000 confirmed coronavirus-related fatalities, the country's Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell has announced.

"On August 1, 2020 there are 434,193 confirmed cases and 87,771 suspected cases of # COVID19. There have been 477,733 negative tests, 47,472 confirmed deaths and 284,847 people recovered," Lopez-Gatell said on Twitter on Saturday.

On Friday, Mexico surpassed the United Kingdom in the coronavirus death toll count, becoming the country with the third-largest number of COVID-19 fatalities, after the United States and Brazil. The UK's coronavirus death toll currently stands at over 46,200, while the US and Brazil have reported a total of around 154,300 and 93,500 fatalities, respectively.

Mexico reported 688 new coronavirus-related deaths on Friday and 8,458 new cases. A day earlier, Mexico reported 7,730 new COVID-19 cases and 639 new coronavirus-related fatalities.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday that he would start wearing a protective mask after corruption in the country was defeated. The Mexican leader has been showing up at public events and daily press conferences without a mask, claiming that its benefit in protecting against viruses has not been scientifically proven. At the same time, he tries to follow social distancing guidelines and wears a mask only where official regulations require it, for example, on airplanes.