Mexico reports 105,655 deaths from COVID-19 and a 38% excess mortality

The Mexican government reported this Sunday a total of 105,655 deaths and 1,107,071 infections from COVID-19, adding 196 new deaths and 6,388 cases on the last day, in addition to recognizing an excess mortality rate of 38% so far this year.

In presenting the daily technical report, the Ministry of Health (SSa) reported that from January 1 to October 24, 794,944 deaths from all causes have been recorded, compared to the 576,955 deaths expected based on the average of the last five years.

Of this excess of 217,989 deaths, 72 percent or 155,990 could be attributable to COVID-19, acknowledged Ruy López Ridaura, director of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Programmes (Cenaprece).

"Somehow they may be, but it is not confirmed, attributable to COVID in this preliminary form of analysis; confirmation of this is a process that may take time, the determination of these deaths is a process that goes, that advances," the official said.

With these figures, Mexico is the eleventh country with the most accumulated cases and the fourth with the most absolute deaths from the new coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. Likewise, Mexico has almost 820 deaths from COVID-19 per million inhabitants, making it the eighth country with the most deaths in proportion to its population.

COVID-19 could become the second leading cause of death, surpassing diabetes, which last year killed 104,354 Mexicans, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), which has yet to update its 2020 figures.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Health recorded an occupation of 38% of general hospital beds nationwide, with the northern state of Durango above the 70% risk level. Mexico City, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila have more than 60% occupancy. The use of intensive or ventilator beds is 32% nationally, with Mexico City leading with 61% occupancy.

Lopez Ridaura reiterated that eight of the 32 states have an upsurge of infections: Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Mexico City, Coahuila, Durango, Queretaro, Nuevo Leon and Zacatecas.

Despite the outlook, prior to the technical report, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that the Mexican government had tried to ensure that "no one was left without medical care, without a bed, without a ventilator or doctor". "What unfortunately happened in European countries was not allowed to happen, even in New York, where they were overtaken and the sick could not be treated because there were no beds, there was no possibility of treating them in hospitals, in our country no one has been left without the possibility of being treated," he said.