MEXICO CITY, March 26, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Mexico on Thursday became the world’s third country to surpass 200,000 coronavirus deaths, following the United States and Brazil.
The nation’s Covid-19 fatality toll now stands at 200,211, the health ministry said in its daily update.
The bleak milestone comes despite a decline in new cases and deaths in recent weeks, following a surge in January that pushed many hospitals to the breaking point.
The country’s coronavirus czar, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, has warned of the risk of a new wave of infections after the Easter holidays in early April.
Excess mortality data suggests the country’s real Covid-19 death toll is much higher than the official figure, due to limited testing.
Mexico began a mass vaccination campaign on December 24 but desperately needs more doses.
So far roughly 6.1 million shots have been applied in the country of 126 million people.