Cozumel COVID-19 updates

[DandyDon]

The authorities have always been pretty careful to say that these measures are designed to slow the spread of the disease, which is, of course (as you say), to try to keep from overloading the health care system. I've never thought it was anything else, from a first order perspective.

It kinda seems that we are all destined to get it in time and the best we can do is stall.

 

[BRT]

It kinda seems that we are all destined to get it in time and the best we can do is stall.

I'm good with that for awhile. But how long can we stall?

 

[ggunn]

It kinda seems that we are all destined to get it in time and the best we can do is stall.

I hope that's not true; it would be the end of the line for many of us.

 

[mstevens]

I hope that's not true; it would be the end of the line for many of us.

Probably not "all", but eventually I think it'll be "nearly all". Coronaviruses are very contagious (many "colds" are caused by them) and this one persists for long times on surfaces.

It has already been the end of the line for many of us. Many others have had it and don't even know that.

 

[WetInPortland]

Secretaria de Salud did publish stats this evening:

In Quintana Roo, 216 confirmed cases, 187 pending, 42 recoveries, 17 deaths. Two of the additional deaths were in Playa del Carmen, and one was in Chetumal.

In Cozumel, officially 6 confirmed cases, 0 deaths.

It's worth nothing that the Minister of Health recently made a statement that they are certain the official nation-wide numbers are low, by perhaps a factor of 8x. There was no further breakdown as to whether that could be applied to individual regions or municipalities, or if the factor varies from location to location.

Cozumel Sun did publish an update on their website today, but they are directing people to their Facebook Group, which they update more frequently. Items of note:

• Curfew expanded to 10pm - 5am (although it's 10:20pm right now and the garbage collection truck just rolled by, so apparently there are some exceptions)
  
• Alcohol sales hours reduced to 10am - 5pm M-F; 10am - 3pm Sat/Sun (state-wide, through the end of the month). Many people expect this to be expanded. (Chedraui has a number of liquors for 30% off right now!)
  
• PPE arrived for the state-run hospitals. Described as, "1,000 kits"
  
• Cozumel Sun speculates that no tourists will return to Cozumel in 2020. They do not offer and explanation of how they arrived at this projection. Once the CDC ban on cruise ship sailings in US waters is lifted (currently runs through late July), the cruise lines will almost certainly start offering killer deals on cruises. Many people will be wary, but some (perhaps those who have contracted SARS-COV-2 and recovered) will no doubt sign up. It will be a federal government decision as to when to beginning issuing FMM (tourist visas) again. The airports remain open and there are still regular flights from the USA to Cozumel and Cancun.
  
• Cozumel Sun states there is a ban on fishing. This seems to coincide with the "Stay At Home" order. Riviera Maya News reported that a petition was submitted to allow subsistence fishing.
• There were some additional items offered without sources or explanation. I think Cozumel Sun is trying to do a good job, but I'll try stick do the more concrete items.

 

[ggunn]

We are not going to solve anything in here, nor can any of us in here dictate policy. It will be as it will be. This thread is at the moment just full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

 

[WetInPortland]

I thought all I would have to report tonight would be that stats, but, wait, there's more!

In QRoo, 239 confirmed cases, 22 deaths. In Cozumel, the official number of confirmed cases increased to 7, still with no official deaths from COVID-19. (Numbers from various sources; the Secretary of Health will begin publishing the official stats at noon, instead of 6pm. It may be a day or so to get back on track.)

Carnival Cruise lines has offered ships to Cozumel as floating hospitals, in case of a massive outbreak there, according to a 9-April article at Noticarbe. The article states that other "shipping" companies (a poor translation, I suspect) have also approached the state and local governments. This appears to be (financial) damage control by Carnival; when they made the same offer to the USA, it was quickly pointed out that cruise ships are not good candidates for infectious disease care. I guess Cancun, which is a hotspot, is out of luck.

Cozumel Sun has the translated, annotated speech from Q. Roo Governor Carlos Joaquín, on their Facebook page. New measures include mandatory use of masks (supposedly to be delivered by the police), increased checkpoints and roadblocks within and between municipalities, mandatory closure of non-essential businesses (unclear what the definition of essential is).

 

[MMM]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

I have deleted a raft of off-topic posts. The OP is trying to give readers an update on what is happening with COVID-19 in Cozumel. This is not a platform for people to debate views on covid-19, opening up the US or whatever... One of the uncivil persons posting here has lost that privilege. Try not to become a statistic. Marg, SB Senior moderator

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[swimbody]

@Christi

Please tell Pedro we're thinking about him and his family....so sorry

Us too. Sorry for his family. We love Pedro

 

[DandyDon]

Times are rough all over these days, almost all countries are challenged with providing medical treatment and threatened economies both, but I keep reading that it's worse in Mexico than in the US. Hoping for the best possible.