- Title: Mexico's Tijuana on defensive after Trump's "most heavily infected" claims
- Date: 20th June 2020
- Summary: TIJUANA, MEXICO (JUNE 18, 2020) (REUTERS) PERSON HOLDING UP SIGN ON STREET THAT READS (Spanish) "PUT ON A FACE MASK" PERSON HANDING OUT FACE MASKS PERSON ON MEGAPHONE SAYING (Spanish) "IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FACE MASK WITH YOU THEN WE WILL GIVE YOU ONE" SIGN THAT READS (Spanish) "WE CONTINUE AT RED ALERT" FACE MASK BEING GIVEN TO LOCAL FACE MASKS BEING GIVEN OUT SIGN THAT READS (Spanish) "DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN" PERSON HANDING OUT FACE MASK IN LOCAL SQUARE PERSON HOLDING UP PLACARD THAT READS (Spanish) "LOOK AFTER YOURSELF AND ALSO OTHERS. USE A FACE MASK" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HEAD OF HEALTH SERVICES IN TIJUANA, DOCTOR REMEDIOS LOZADA, SAYING: "It's been an intense job for all health institutions. But above all else, here it depends on whether the (infection) curve stays flat, and that depends a lot on people. If people continue to protect themselves, continue to adopt preventative measures then we can get out of this quicker. But the experience of the world is that when people are complacent then we can have a resurgence. And that is what concerns us a lot." BORDER PATROL VEHICLE ON DUTY PART OF BROKEN WALL WITH WORD THAT READS "MURAL" BORDER FENCE BETWEEN MEXICO AND THE U.S.A. THAT RUNS INTO THE OCEAN TIJUANA, MEXICO (JUNE 19, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TIJUANA MAYOR, ARTURO GONZALEZ, SAYING: "He (U.S. President Donald Trump) is on campaign and well, we know his declarations. It's a very particular issue. I would say that before giving a statement that first one should look at the real situation in the city of Tijuana." TIJUANA, MEXICO (JUNE 18, 2020) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF RESTAURANT INTERIOR OF RESTAURANT WITH FEW DINERS WAITERS STANDING DINERS DRINKING WINE COOK IN RESTAURANT KITCHEN FOOD BEING COOKED (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESTAURANT MANAGER, GERARDO AVILA, SAYING: "It's been costly because everything is costly, all of this has been an economic hit that was not considered. In the (operating) norms it sets out that every three hours disposable face masks should be changed. And given the high demand for products for personal protection, well obviously the cost of face masks is not the same as four months ago." AMERICAN FLAG FLYING NEAR BORDER AREA VARIOUS OF CARS WAITING AT BORDER CROSSING AREA CARS APPROACHING CROSSING PEDESTRIANS AT BORDER CROSSING AREA AMERICAN FLAG FLYING PERSON NEAR BORDER CROSSING AREA CARS WAITING TO CROSS BORDER
- Embargoed: 4th July 2020 02:49
- Keywords: COVID-19 Mexico President Donald Trump Tijuana coronavirus infections pandemic
- Location: TIJUANA, MEXICO
- City: TIJUANA, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CJ1DUFB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Mexico's best-known border city, Tijuana, is seeking to tackle the spread of coronavirus by handing out free face masks to people out on the street.
It comes after comments from U.S. President Donald Trump that claimed Tijuana "is the most heavily infected place anywhere in the world".
The number of deaths from the coronavirus in Tijuana has soared and the COVID-19 mortality rate is twice the national average, the health ministry says, after medical staff quickly fell ill as the outbreak rampaged through hospital wards.
More than 21% of patients who have tested positive for coronavirus in the city do not survive, health ministry data showed this month. In the rest of Mexico, the figure was just under 10%.
Tijuana is the municipality with the most deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Mexico, 243 so far, according to state and federal health department data. Authorities say taming the spread of the infection depends largely on locals adopting health safety measures.
But locals say those stark statistics do not place Tijuana as the world's worst city for coronavirus infections.
Bustling Tijuana is a major destination for American citizens crossing the border for medication, night life and to enjoy a weekend in Mexico. But amid the pandemic, the local economy has been hit hard. Restrictions on movement at the border has also deterred some from coming.
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