Mexico passes 25,000 virus deaths as Juarez approaches 500 fatalities

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Mexico has now pushed past 25,000 coronavirus deaths and 200,000 confirmed cases, as the nation's treasury secretary said he tested positive and would self-isolate while working from home.

Chihuahua state health officials on Friday reported 17 new deaths and 428 additional cases in Ciudad Juarez. That takes the total number of deaths in Juarez to 495, and tallies 2,563 cases to date.

Throughout all of the state of Chihuahua on Friday, there have now been a total of 624 deaths related to the virus, with 4,299 cases recorded.

Mexico's Treasury Secretary Arturo Herrera said he had only minor symptoms after being diagnosed with the virus and planned to self-isolate as he continued to work from home. It was unclear how recently he was in close contact with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who refuses to use a face mask and has resumed public tours across Mexico.

Herrera is the country’s highest-ranking Cabinet member to be infected so far. Previously, the head of the Mexican Social Security Institute tested positive but later returned to work. Several state governors have also acknowledged testing positive.

Only Brazil and the United States have higher virus death tolls than Mexico in the Americas.