U.S. media report says COVID-19 deaths undercounted in Mexico

When the COVID-19 outbreak began sweeping through Mexico, the government was slow to act on enforcing social distancing and lacked proper testing, according to a published report.

According to the New York Times, the Mexican government has undercounted the cases and deaths from the coronavirus, particularly in Mexico City.

This has brought growing tensions between local officials and the federal government.

Mexico City officials have counted more than 2,500 deaths from the virus – but the government has only reported 700 deaths for the area, according to the data reviewed by the New York Times.

Mexico's testing rates for the virus are also some of the lowest compared to other countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, with fewer than one in 1,000 people tested in the country.

The government has been more positive in the numbers, saying it had been doing better than other larger countries. On Monday, the COVID-19-point person estimated the death toll would be around 6,000.

The official count for the country is approaching 32,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 3,200 deaths.

Check out The China Report, our new weekly newsletter.

Subscribe here!