The following is a timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico.
January 2020 On January 22, 2020, the Secretariat of Health issued a statement saying that the novel coronavirus COVID-19 did not present a danger to Mexico. 441 cases had been confirmed in China, Thailand, South Korea, and the United States, and a travel advisory was issued on January 9.
On January 30, 2020, before the declaration of a pandemic by the World Health Organization the Government of Mexico designed a Preparation and Response Plan that was made by the National Committee for Health Safety, a working group led by Secretariat of Health composed by different health entities aiming to act upon the imminent arrival of the pandemic. This group carried out a series of alert measures, rehabilitation and updating of epidemiological regulations based on the International Health Regulations, being the first Latam country that deployed a mathematical modelling of infectious disease.
February 2020 The cruise ship Grand Princess docked in Puerto Vallarta (February 15), Manzanillo (February 16), Mazatlán (February 17) and Cabo San Lucas (February 18), spending 9 to 12 hours in each port. The first COVID-19 death in California was a man who had been on this ship on an earlier cruise. This ship was later quarantined off San Francisco and docked in Oakland March 11 with 21 onboard who tested positive for the coronavirus."What we know about Grand Princess docking". Los Angeles Times. March 9, 2020.
The cruise ship , which was not allowed to dock in the Cayman Islands or Jamaica, docked in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, on February 27. Three passengers were diagnosed with influenza A virus, but no cases of coronavirus were found.
On February 28, Mexico confirmed its first three cases. A 35-year-old man and a 59-year-old man in Mexico City and a 41-year-old man in the northern state of Sinaloa tested positive and were held in isolation at a hospital and a hotel, respectively. They had travelled to Bergamo, Italy, for a week in mid-February. On February 29, a fourth case was detected and confirmed in the city of Torreón, in the state of Coahuila, from a 20-year-old woman who traveled to Italy.
March 2020 March 1 to 15 On March 1, a fifth case was announced in Chiapas in a student who had just returned from Italy. On March 6, a sixth case was confirmed in the State of Mexico in a 71-year-old man who had returned from Italy on February 21.
COVID-19 was the topic of conversation at the meeting of the National Governors' Conference (Conago) held on March 5, 2020. In addition to governors from different states (or state health representatives), the directors of Instituto de Salud para el Bienestar (INSABI), IMSS, and ISSSTE participated.Miriam Estrada (March 5, 2020). "Governors analyze the situation of Coronavirus". El Sol de Cuernavaca . Retrieved March 16, 2020.
On March 6 during the first session of National Council of Health, Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, one of the main strategists and spokespersons of Mexican Government on pandemics, led the first daily press conference on COVID-19.
On March 7, a seventh case was also confirmed in Mexico City in a 46-year-old male who had previously had contact with another confirmed case in the United States.
On March 10, an eighth case was reported in Puebla, a 47-year-old German man who had returned from a business trip to Italy. On the same date, 40 members of a dance company in Puebla, returning from a tour in Italy, were quarantined. The Mexican Stock Exchange fell to a record low on March 10 due to fears of the coronavirus and because of falling oil prices. The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) stepped in to prop up the value of the peso, which fell 14% to 22.929 per US dollar.Mexico's stock market hits record low over coronavirus crisis and collapsing oil prices El Universal (English), March 10, 2020
On March 11, a ninth case was confirmed in the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León. A 57-year-old man, who had recently come back from a trip all across Europe, was placed under quarantine. The man, who has remained anonymous, came back from his trip a week before and had contact with eight other people who have also been placed under quarantine in their houses. The man has been confirmed to reside in the city of San Pedro Garza García.
On March 12, Mexico announced it had a total of 15 confirmed cases, with new cases in Puebla and Durango. A day later, senator accused the federal government of hiding the true number of confirmed cases.
On March 13, it was confirmed that the Mexican Stock Exchange Chairman, Jaime Ruiz Sacristan, tested positive as an asymptomatic case. Later, the Secretariat of Health announced in press conference that the number of confirmed cases had risen to 26.. Several universities, including the UNAM and Tec de Monterrey, switched to virtual classes. Authorities announced to be considering the cancellation of the Festival Internacional de Cine de Guadalajara. In Mérida, the Tianguis Turístico was postponed to September. Several major sporting events were also canceled.
On March 14, Fernando Petersen, the secretary of health of the state of Jalisco, confirmed the first two cases of COVID-19 were detected in Hospital Civil de Guadalajara. Two new cases were confirmed in Nuevo León, and the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) announced that all sporting and civic events in schools would be canceled. The same day, the Secretariat of Education announced that Easter break, originally planned from April 6 to 17, would be extended from March 20 to April 20 as a preventive measure. The Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit (SCHP) announced it was taking measures to prevent a 0.5% fall in gross domestic product (GDP). Drugstores in Cuernavaca report shortages of masks, antibacterial gel, and other items.Jessica Arellano (March 14, 2020). "Products start to be scarce due to COVID-19". El Sol de Cuernavaca . On the same day the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, (UANL) (the country's third largest university in terms of student population) suspended classes for its more than 206,000 students starting on March 17, 2020, and ending on 2021.
Businessman José Kuri was reported in critical condition on March 14 after a trip to Vail, Colorado, United States, although early reports of his death were false. As of March 14, there have been 41 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mexico.
The March 14 and 15 Festival Vive Latino (rock and Latin music) in Mexico City opened according to schedule, in spite of fears of contagion. Temperatures of the 70,000 people who attend each day were taken at the door and anti-bacterial gel was widely distributed. Organizers said that the Passion Play of Iztapalapa would continue as scheduled in Holy Week. Tito Domínguez, vice president of the organizing committee, noted that a miracle had saved Iztapalapa during the cholera outbreak in 1833.Maleny Navarro (March 15, 2020). "Coronavirus will not stop the Stations of the Cross in Iztapalapa: organizing committee". El Sol de México .
On March 15, mayor Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters that an additional MXN $100 million (US$4.4 million) would be reassigned from an undefined allocation of the city's budget, citing road maintenance as an example.Maleny Navarro (March 15, 2020). "Expenditure of 100 extra mp to prevent coronavirus in CDMX". El Sol de México . The first confirmed case of coronavirus in Acapulco, Guerrero, was reported.José Francisco Zorroza (March 15, 2020). "Confirman primer caso de Covid-19 en Guerrero". El Sol de Acapulco . Querétaro reported two new cases, bringing the total to six.Francisco Floes Hernndez (March 15, 2020)"Queretaro increases the number of coronavirus cases to six" . El Universal . Nuevo León reported its fifth case.David Carrizales (March 15, 2020). "Coronavirus: 5 positive cases in Nuevo Leon". El Universal . The Norteño group Los Tres Tristes Tigres released a song on March 15 titled "El corrido del coronavirus".Miguel Ceballos (March 15, 2020). "Los Tres Tristes Tigres compose 'El corrido del coronavirus'". El Sol de Puebla .
March 16 to 22
As of March 16, President López Obrador continued to downplay the impact of coronavirus. "Pandemics ... won't do anything to us," and accused the press and the opposition for its reportage."As Mexican peso collapses over coronavirus threat, criticism falls on president Lopez Obrador". Los Angeles Times. March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 20, 2020. On March 16, lawyer Marco Antonio del Toro petitioned the federal courts to cease all but essential activities for a period of 30 to 40 days because of the coronavirus outbreak.Manrique Gandaria (March 16, 2020). "Suspension of judicial activities for coronavirus requested". El Sol de México . The total of confirmed cases reached 82. The Autonomous University of the State of Morelos, (UAEM) suspended classes for its 22,000 students.David Monroy (March 16, 2020). "UAEM suspends classes due to coronavirus". Milenio . A diplomatic incident arose between the governments of Mexico and El Salvador, concerning 12 Salvadorean citizens wearing face masks on a plane departing from Mexico City to San Salvador. Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador denounced as "irresponsible" that they were allowed to board the plane along with other passengers and offered to send a plane to transport them without contact with other people. The claim was supported by Avianca airline while the Mexican government said that there were no reasons to assume that they were positive for COVID-19. Eventually, the flight was cancelled. Marcelo Ebrard, head of Foreign Affairs announced after negative results of COVID tests of that Salvadorean passengers.
On March 17, 11 new cases were confirmed, raising the national total to 93, with Campeche being the only state with no confirmed cases. Mexico's limited response, including allowing a large concert and the women's soccer championship, as well as a lack of testing, have been criticized. Critics note that president López Obrador does not practice social distancing but continues to greet large crowds, and the borders have not been closed. Of particular concern is the health of thousands of migrants in temporary camps along the border with the United States. The former national commissioner for influenza in Mexico during the 2009 flu pandemic, Alejandro Macías, said the problem is compounded by the fact that Mexico lacks sufficient intensive care unit beds, medical care workers and ventilators.Jihan Abdalla (March 17, 2020). "Mexico's government under pressure over coronavirus response" Al Jazeera; Rafael Bernal (March 18, 2020). "Mexico under international criticism for coronavirus response", The Hill.