Mexico reported a record number of coronavirus cases and deaths Monday, with an additional 2,789 deaths and 28,115 cases. But that’s not because of a sudden increase in the spread of the virus, says Mexico’s Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell.
"What we have is a reclassification that allows us to have more robust statistics," López-Gatell said during a press conference Tuesday morning.
The spike, he said, represents the accumulation of months of cases and deaths only now being classified as coronavirus as part of new reporting methodology in Mexico. Now, reported cases and deaths will include those verified by testing, as well as cases confirmed through so-called epidemiological association. That means someone never tested for coronavirus, but who had symptoms and known contact with the virus can be considered a suspected case. Some deaths have also retroactively been attributed to the virus through "rulings" by health officials who have reviewed those cases.
López-Gatell said that should help with concerns that Mexico’s limited testing means coronavirus figures are likely significantly higher than reported numbers. Mexico has reported a total of789,780 cases and 81,877 deaths, as of Monday evening, giving it the fourth-highest number of deaths and ninth-highest number of cases in the world.
Neighboring Sonora, Mexico saw the greatest increase in coronavirus cases and deaths of any Mexican state under the new reporting methodology. As of Monday evening, Sonora had a reported 34,065 confirmed coronavirus cases and 2,928 deaths.
