Another virus death in Juarez brings toll to 34, with 161 cases, as mask crackdown begins

CIUDADA JUAREZ, Mexico -- The state of Chihuahua on Thursday reported 236 confirmed coronavirus cases and a total of 40 deaths.

Officials said the majority of both the state's infections and fatalities have occurred in Juarez, which had 161 cases and 34 deaths as of Thursday.

The new numbers came as Juarez Mayor Armando Cabada announced a crackdown on residents who have failed to wear required face masks.

The Chihuahua state government recently mandated that people to wear face coverings while out in public to slow the spread of the virus, but some in Juarez have not done so and police were undertaking an enforcement effort.

The majority of those who have died from the virus in Chihuahua state are men by a 3-to-1 margin, health leaders said. Many of the deceased also had other health issues such as diabetes, obesity or asthma.

The noted 20 Chihuahua state residents had recovered from the virus as of Thursday, including 13 from Ciudad Juárez.

Across Mexico on Thursday, there was a total of 10,544 confirmed cases with 970 deaths.