MEXICO CITY — Mexico has confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus. It marks the official spread of the disease to a second Latin American nation, after Brazil. Authorities are stressing that the country is prepared and urging people not to panic.
The first case involves a Mexico City man who recently traveled to Italy. He is being treated, and his close relatives are under observation.
A man in the state of Sinaloa showed positive on one of two tests for the virus. He’s being treated in an isolated room in a hotel.
A cruise ship in the coastal area of Cozumel with two alleged virus carriers has been cleared. Its passengers were allowed to descend from the ship.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that the country is ready to attend a possible outbreak, and that the coronavirus is not terrible or deadly; not even close to influenza.
Mexican sanitary authorities are asking the population to stay calm and follow standard hygiene procedures.