Update: March 20, 2020, at 9:45 a.m. ET
Officials in Cancun, Mexico have ordered the temporary closure of all bars, clubs, movie theaters and casinos in an effort to limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
This news comes a day after the United States issued a level 4 advisory warning citizens to avoid all international travel.
Update: March 18, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. ET
Quintana Roo's Ministry of Health (SESA) reports that there are now four confirmed cases of COVID-19 present in the state. The Mexicanist, reporting on information released by Mexico's federal health secretary at a press conference on March 17, revealed that all four were identified inside of Cancun. Three of those who've been positively diagnosed are recovering at home in isolation, while one remains hospitalized.
Update: March 14, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. ET
COVID-19 has now reached the state of Quintana Roo, with a single case having been confirmed on March 13, 2020.
Quintana Roo's Ministry of Health (SESA) announced its first and sole confirmed case of the novel coronavirus. Head of SESA, Alejandra Aguirre, did not offer any details about the coronavirus-positive patient, except that the case had arisen in the municipality of Benito Juárez.
Quintana Roo governor, Carlos Joaquín González took to social media to spread the message: "The first case of #COVID_19 in #QuintanaRoo has been confirmed. The patient is isolated and under correct treatment. We are vigilant and the situation is under control."
At a press conference held at the Government Palace on the same day, the Secretary of Health for Yucatan, Mauricio Sauri Vivas, confirmed that one other case of coronavirus has been detected within the Yucatan Peninsula in a 57-year-old, female patient who had lately returned from a trip to Madrid.
Riviera Maya News reported that the director of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health and government spokesman for COVID-19 affairs, José Luis Alomía, reported that eleven new cases had been confirmed across Mexico on March 13, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 26. 344 possible cases have tested negative and 105 remain under investigation throughout Mexico.
As spring break approaches, and U.S. residents ponder whether to alter or cancel upcoming travel plans, one of the world's most popular beach-vacation destinations still remains a prime getaway spot with no confirmed COVID-19 cases: Cancun, Mexico.
Head of Quintana Roo's Ministry of Health, Alejandra Aguirre Crespo, confirmed just today that the Mexican state still has zero confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, despite the circulation of a forged document, apparently intended as a hoax, that suggested otherwise.
There are currently just eight confirmed cases in the whole of Mexico, none of them in the vicinity of Cancun or Quintana Roo. Three of those patients are under care in Mexico City, and the others are located in Coahuila, Sinaloa, Chiapas, Estado de Mexico and Puebla.
There are also zero travel advisories or warnings issued against travel to the Mexican Caribbean region by any foreign government, including the United States. Nor do the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend changing travel plans to the Mexican Caribbean, and the State of Quintana Roo retains a Green Level 1 ("practice usual precautions") ranking.
A meeting on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, was held among Mexican federal, state and municipal officials, tourism authorities, international consuls, transport operators and other private and citizen bodies to coordinate and reaffirm the community's commitment to proactively preparing for and mitigating any possible future incidents of coronavirus.
Quintana Roo State Governor, Carlos Joaquín González, who chaired the event, announced that the state would be dedicating an additional 70 million pesos (approximately USD $32 million) towards tackling the still-evolving coronavirus crisis.
Those funds will go towards purchasing medicines, materials, insurance contracts, supplies and personnel to respond to a potential COVID-19 health emergency.
He stressed that the good news regarding the virus' behavior is that it does not seem to survive temperatures above roughly 75 degrees Fahrenheit and that humid climates are not conducive to its transmission, which is an advantage for the entire Yucatan Peninsula. He also pointed out that there are no flight cancellations to Quintana Roo-specifically to Cancun-and that there is no notice of future cancellations at this time.
Health Secretary Alejandra Aguirre Crespo stressed that, while Quintana Roo is currently coronavirus-free, the state is already monitoring, preparing for and establishing a response-and-recovery plan, in case the virus ultimately reaches its shores. The state is, she said, already conducting epidemiological surveillance with the support of the International Health Agency and the State Laboratory of Public Health.
Governor González added that Quintana Roo will be the first Mexican state to offer coronavirus-specific training to private-sector operators, including hotel, restaurant and transportation entities. Personnel who work at international entry points, such as airports and cruise ports, are also attending information and awareness meetings.
The overriding conclusion, communicated Governor González, is that Quintana Roo is prepared for any contingency. The state government of Quintana Roo also has launched a microsite dedicated to providing the public with updated information on COVID-19 and outlining measures being enacted in preparation for and to mitigate any future introduction of the virus into the region.
Standard COVID-19-related recommendations apply to any persons who are traveling, including frequent hand-washing with soap and water for at least 30 seconds; frequent use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers; covering your mouth and nose with a tissue (or use the crook of your elbow) when you sneeze or cough; avoid close person-to-person contact and see a doctor if you feel unwell.
Persons who develop a fever, flu-like symptoms or difficulty breathing, and who've been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient or visited an affected country within the past fourteen days, should immediately contact the state health department, which can provide assistance in both English and Spanish:
Quintana Roo Epidemiological and Health Intelligence Unit (UIES)
800 832 9198 - Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; and Saturday, Sundays and holidays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
800 00 44 800 - 24-hour service
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