Mexico tops 35,000 deaths, 4th highest toll
Mexico's official death toll from the novel coronavirus has risen to 35,006, the health ministry announced on Sunday. The new figures saw Mexico surpass the number of deaths in Italy, which was initially one of the world's worst affected countries as the disease spread across Europe.
- World
- AP
- Published Date: 12:35 | 13 July 2020
- Modified Date: 12:35 | 13 July 2020
Mexican officials say the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths has passed 35,000, making it the country with the fourth highest total.
A count by Johns Hopkins University has only the United States, Brazil and Britain with more confirmed deaths from the new coronavirus. Sunday's rise to 35,006 confirmed deaths moved Mexico, a country with 130 million inhabitants, past Italy.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador insisted the development of the pandemic in Mexico "is positive, it is good" because of the country's 32 states only nine had increases in infections.
"The bottom line is that the pandemic is on the downside, that it is losing intensity," Mexico's president said.
Nevertheless, some days this past week have seen record daily numbers of new infections.
Deputy Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell said the number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus rose to 299,750 on Sunday.
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