• PNEUMONIA: Medical personnel in public hospitals across Mexico are alerting about coronavirus cases being wrongly diagnosed as atypical pneumonia. This occurs at the same time that Mexican government surveillance systems are also showing growing numbers of atypical pneumonia cases.
• WEEK: According to the most recent Mexican Health Ministry’s public surveillance reports, units across Mexico reported 641,382 cases of atypical pneumonia between March 17 and March 21. This is a higher number than the 493,470 cases reported for exactly the same period a year ago.
• COMPLAINT: “They take patients who have symptoms similar to COVID-19 -or that may also be other respiratory diseases- but before confirming if it is coronavirus via testing, they are registered as having atypical pneumonia”, a doctor who asked to remain anonymous told Reforma newspaper.
• NUMBERS: As of late Thursday, Mexico has officially reported 3,441 coronavirus cases and 194 deaths. Mexico City accounts for 26% share of the total confirmed cases. The neighboring state of State of Mexico is second place in number of total confirmed cases with an 11% share.
