Mexico reaches 1 million virus cases, nears 100,000 deaths – over 1,600 of those in Juárez

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Mexico has registered more than 1 million total coronavirus cases and nearly 100,000 test-confirmed deaths, though officials agree the number is probably much higher.

How did Mexico get here? By marching resolutely, even defiantly, against many internationally accepted practices in pandemic management, from face mask wearing, to lockdowns, testing and contact tracing.

Late Saturday, Mexican Director General of Health Promotion Ricardo Cortés Alcalá said the number of confirmed cases had reached 1,003,253, with 32,236 of those being in the state of Chihuahua.

Across Mexico there have been at least 98,259 deaths from Covid-19. The accumulated death tally in Chihuahua state is 2,659, of which 1,646 occurred in Juárez.

While much of Mexico has shunned shutdowns, a curfew and business closures are in effect currently in Juárez to try and stem the tide of the virus’ spread.