Mexico's new daily record of almost 28,000 coronavirus cases
Mexico has posted its highest one-day total of newly-confirmed coronavirus cases, with 27,944 infections, and a near-record 1,623 confirmed deaths
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Mexico posted its highest one-day total of newly confirmed coronavirus cases Wednesday, with 27,944 infections, and a near-record 1,623 confirmed deaths.
That brings the country’s total so far to just over 1.8 million cases and 153,639 deaths. However, Mexico has an extremely low rate of testing, and estimates of excess deaths suggest the real toll is over 195,000.
A group of over a dozen of the country's top universities and medical institutes also recommended Wednesday that the use of face masks be made mandatory in Mexico, a move that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his advisers have long opposed.
The president himself seldom wears a mask, and over the weekend tested positive for COVID-19.
The president's top pandemic adviser, Hugo López-Gatell, said early in the pandemic that face masks provided little protection for the wearer and that he opposed rules requiring their use. However, the experts' report said masks should be mandatory to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Hospitals are so full in some parts of Mexico that many families have to treat their relatives at home, and they need oxygen cylinders to do so. But federal authorities reported Wednesday that there have there have been 14 robberies of oxygen tanks at hospitals, delivery trucks or other locations across the country.
There have also been examples of fraud, in which people offer tanks or oxygen concentrators for sale, accept deposits and then keep the money without delivering them.
The federal public safety department said eight people have been arrested for theft or fraud.