Every day, Mexican authorities hold news conferences to provide updates on the number of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, as well as the number of coronavirus-related deaths .
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Some of the authorities in charge of the conferences are Dr. Hugo López Gatell, the Vice Minister of Prevention and Health Promotion, and Dr. José Luis Alomía Zegarra, the general director of Epidemiology.
As of October 4 , Mexican authorities confirmed 79,088 COVID-19 fatalities . Most of the victims were males between 37 and 77 years old. Moreover, chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure have played a significant role in the majority of fatalities.
On August 14, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared 30 days of national mourning for COVID-19 victims in the country.
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Protect yourself from COVID-19
The World Health Organization has issued several recommendations to protect yourself:
1. Wash your hands frequently: Regularly and thoroughly wash your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wash them with soap and water.
2. Maintain physical distancing: Maintain at least 1-meter distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
3. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth: Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose, or mouth and then enter the body.
4. Respiratory hygiene: Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze.
5. Medical attention: Seek medical attention early if you have fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Stay home if you feel sick.
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Who is Dr. Hugo López Gatell?
He is a Medical Specialist in Internal Medicine and holds a Master in Medical Sciences and Doctorate in Epidemiology.
He has extensive experience in academy and public service. Dr. López Gatell has served as general director of Epidemiology and National Focal Point for International Health Regulations, as well as Director of Innovation in Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control of the Research Center on Infectious Diseases (CISEI), and Director of National Health Surveys, at the National Institute of Public Health.
Furthermore, he was a research assistant in the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH), located in the U.S.
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