No new deaths reported as Juarez enters ‘crucial week’ in virus fight

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico -- There were no new coronavirus deaths confirmed on Monday morning in Juarez as it began what Chihuahua state's top official called a "crucial week" - with the pandemic reaching its peak there.

Juarez held steady from Sunday's reporting, with a total of 210 deaths and 909 confirmed cases. Monday's stabilization was unusual, coming off a two-day period over the weekend that saw 14 additional deaths and 68 new cases from Friday to Sunday.

There were 22 new virus cases reported across Chihuahua state on Monday, but none of those infections occurred in Juarez, according to health ministry data.

Health officials indicated the case increase from elsewhere in state was the result of infections detected in hospitals that were added to the count.

The governor emphasized in remarks on Monday that the state of Chihuahua was going into the "crucial week" of the entire pandemic, and added that he was "not going to risk lives by rushing economic activity."

“I know that there is a lot of damage in our industries, that we are losing place within international competition; however, for us the most important thing is human lives," said Gov. Javier Corral.

The state of Chihuahua's totals as of Monday were 1,605 confirmed cases and 263 virus-related deaths.

Corral spoke of the 263 victims to date as "people of flesh and blood who are no longer among us” and would be greatly missed.

"Those numbers are people who have died, they are loved ones of many families in Chihuahua," he said, according to an English translation of his comments made in Spanish.