It seems these days all we hear and read about on the media is related to the coronavirus. Each passing day brings more news about new cases and deaths around the world. The panorama is quite discouraging. People are starting to panic and stocking up on food, water, toilet paper, face masks, and cleaning supplies. Mexico is no exception.

One of the hardest-hit industries is tourism. Flights departing or arriving in China, South Korea, Iran, and Italy have been restricted or even suspended. The governments of several countries are trying to find the best solution to contain the virus from spreading and this seems to be the first logical step.

But what is this coronavirus and how is it affecting tourism? Let’s see what it is and if we should worry about it when traveling to Mexico.

Disclaimer: This website does NOT provide medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding this disease.

What Is the Coronavirus?

Young woman wearing a blue face mask.

You may have heard two different terms: coronavirus and COVID-19. The first one is the virus and the second one is the disease. In other words, coronavirus is the virus that causes COVID-19.

Since it’s very recent, too little is known about it. What we do know is that symptoms may appear in 2-14 days after being exposed to the virus. Symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Runny nose
  • Shortness of breath

Health authorities are studying and monitoring the outbreak since it began a few months ago. The disease is mainly spread through respiratory droplets. A theory suggests you can also become infected by touching a surface that has the virus on it and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Studies suggest the most vulnerable groups are elderly people and those with respiratory/cardiovascular diseases.

Are There Any Cases in Mexico?

Yes. Mexico is among the Latin American countries with confirmed cases. As of March 7, 2020, 7 cases have been confirmed by health authorities. Coincidentally or not, all of them had been to Italy.

The cases confirmed are located in the states of:

  • Coahuila
  • Mexico City
  • Sinaloa
  • Estado de México
  • Chiapas

There are possible cases in the following states, although they haven’t been confirmed yet.

  • Yucatán
  • Nuevo León
  • Veracruz

How Is All This Affecting Tourism in Mexico?

World map with an American passport and a camera over it.

At this point, it’s evident there will be repercussions due to the outbreak. It’s just a matter of time. What needs to be done is to assess the damage that will be inflicted and try to minimize it.

For starters, Mexico hasn’t been affected at the same level Europe and Asia have. The situation shouldn’t be taken lightly, but it hasn’t been deemed necessary to restrict flights or close tourist attractions like Italy has done. There were rumors about canceling the Feria de San Marcos in Aguascalientes, one of the most important fairs in the country, but authorities have denied that. There was even a petition in change.org requesting the cancellation of the event, but it seems it was not successful.

However, there is one important thing to consider. Most tourists visiting Mexico come from the U.S. A few days ago, there was news about President Trump analyzing closing the Mexico-U.S. border to contain the disease. If the border were closed, then flight restrictions would follow suit. This would have a disastrous impact on the Mexican tourism industry. I hope it doesn’t happen. We’ll have to wait and see.

Should I Cancel My Trip to Mexico?

Many people are scared to travel because of the news and wonder if they can cancel or postpone their trip, including Mexico. Airlines normally charge their customers for making changes to their itineraries, but they’re currently offering flexibility to either postpone their flights or change the destination without paying anything extra.

However, we have to keep one thing in mind. This only applies to countries where a state of emergency was declared such as China, South Korea, Iran, and Italy. This is not the case for Mexico. Since no state of emergency has been declared, you will most likely have to pay to make any changes to your trip. Contact your airline and see what options there are in case you want to cancel.

What Can I Do Then?

First of all, don’t panic. There have been numerous epidemics in history. This is not the first nor will it be the last time. Remember SARS in 2003 and H1N1 in 2009?

Experts say the death rate is very low. Many people who got infected made it through.

If you have already booked your flight and hotel for the upcoming weeks, but you would like to cancel, please follow up with the airline or hotel. Unless a state of emergency is declared, you will probably have to pay a penalty for canceling. Don’t take my word for it.

On the other hand, if you haven’t paid for anything yet and you’re concerned about the disease, then don’t travel. Your peace of mind is important.

Two wax figures of a man and a woman with scared expressions in their faces.

Whether you travel or not, experts recommend the following:

  • Wash your hands thoroughly with water and soap for at least 20 seconds frequently. If you don’t have any water or soap on hand, then use a sanitizer with a 60% alcohol content.
  • Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Maintain at least 3 feet between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your bent elbow when coughing or sneezing.
  • Don’t wear a face mask unless you’re sick or your doctor recommended you do it.
  • Get plenty of rest, eat healthy foods, and drink plenty of fluids to keep your immune system strong.
  • Avoid cruise ship travel since there is an increased risk of infection.
  • Stay home if you’re sick.
  • Above all, stay informed and follow your doctor’s advice.

Bottom Line

The coronavirus has turned the world upside down. Many industries have been impacted. We don’t know how long it will take for everything to go back to normal. Experts say they expect to have a vaccine in no less than one year from now.

It’s important to be alert, but not to panic. Panic and fear make us more vulnerable to believe fake news and make impulsive decisions.

We will make it through. We have to be positive and take the necessary precautions. Don’t let this keep you from living your normal life, including traveling within reason.

What do you all think? Are you traveling in the upcoming weeks? Did you even consider canceling your plans? Let me know in the comments below. See you soon!

Update 3/13/2020. The number of confirmed cases increased to 26. The newly affected states are Puebla, Querétaro, Durango, Nuevo León, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. Given the circumstances, I think it’s better to wait it out. New evidence suggests we may not present any symptoms, but we could still be carriers and pass the disease on to other people. We have a social responsibility as travelers. This is not the end. We will just have to postpone our plans.

Update 4/7/2020. Cases have increased dramatically. You can check out the latest statistics here. This page gets constantly updated.

Update March 2022: More than 50% of Mexico’s population has already been vaccinated. The number of deaths has increased a little compared to the previous two months, but overall, it’s lower than other bad months since the pandemic started. The number of cases has also been decreasing steadily.

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18 Replies to “Coronavirus Mexico Stats”

  1. I constantly hear news about coronavirus, and I think it’s very confusing, because what content should I believe in, but this article seems very good and informative. It’s a very bad situation the world is in because it seems that no matter what we do coronavirus just keeps on spreading.

    1. Yes, every single day we hear news about it. We do need to be alert but panicking doesn’t help at all. I hope it all passes soon. Thanks for commenting.

  2. Hi,

    There is a lot of panic about coronavirus, but one thing we surely must not do is panic. I have read articles of stores running out of toilet paper because people are buying them up. If we all take our precautions, we should be fine. Boost your immune system, take your vitamins, especially vitamin C because it fights infections. Washing your hands is also a good precaution. If we make sure that our immune systems are at 100% then we should all be fine. Don’t buy so much toilet paper, rather buy vitamin C supplements, right? 😉 

    It’s a good thing that the airlines are showing more flexibility when someone wants to change their flight. This is likely going to happen. I live in a tourist town in Mexico, and I hope that this is not going to affect tourism in Mexico as it did in Italy … Keep fingers crossed.

    1. Hi, Christine,

      We must avoid falling prey to fake news and panic. There is a lot of misinformation out there. If we follow some guidelines like the ones you mention, we can drastically lower our chances of getting sick.

      Airlines have had to adapt due to the crisis. They have faced millionaire losses. The worst is this seems to be far from over.

      Mexico hasn’t been affected like Europe or Asia, but we can’t say it won’t ever be. 

      Thanks for commenting.

  3. Thanks so much for the update on the statistics of the Coronavirus in Mexico. The fact that you were able to put this together in the peak of the Coronavirus outbreak is highly commendable and timely. Thanks also for attaching ways in which to protect oneself generally from it. Kudos for a good job

  4. The Corona virus seems to stop a lot off people from travelling. But going on a holiday to Mexico, I do not think that should stop people from going ?  I have read that the corona virus doesn’t like the heat, is this true ? Here in Europe, we don’t have a lot off information about the virus spreading in Latin-America or Africa etc. Is this because the testing methods are not accurate ? And as you said in your article, I don’t think it is a coincedence either that everybody diagnosed with corona, came from Italy 😉 But thanks a lot for this information, I will keep that in mind when booking a flight to Mexico, here I come !

    1. Hi, Lizzy,

      Yes, people are scared to travel because of the news they hear. However, it seems that the virus is less likely to survive in hot weather. We have to keep an eye out on that. 

      It’s important not to panic. That doesn’t mean we should take it lightly. Just take precaution and stay informed.

      Thanks for commenting.

  5. I agree that the Corona virus is causing a great deal of the anxiety and panic worldwide. With some countries more badly affected than others, it has come down to individual responsibility to follow the simple hygiene guidelines given by the medical comunity of every country, in order to contain/delay its spread. Mexico is one of the fortunate countries not to have a huge outbreak but she must prepare for the worst just as is the case with UK and other countries.

    Thanks for the informative article, very thorough and well researched.

    Sandeep

    1. Hi, Sandeep,

      Totally agreed. This corncerns us all. Each one of us has to play his part.

      And yes, we must prepare for any contingencies. We don’t know when this will end.

      Thanks for commenting.

  6. Thank you for your post. It is useful for. Our family has booked a Cancun, Mexico, trip. From your article, it seems fine at this moment, since there are only 7 cases in then entire country and there is no case at Cancun.

    Based on your article, I keep the reservation. I am confident that our trip should be fine since we will go in August. By then the entire Coronavirus may go into history. Also the weather at Cancun is hot in August, I doubt that the coronavirus could survive the hot temperature.

    Please update the situation on Mexico. I will come back to your site to evaluate my trip plan regularly.

    1. Hi, Anthony,

      Glad you found this useful. It’s important to stay informed.

      As you said, it seems the virus doesn’t survive in hot weather. Hopefully, it will be over by then but we don’t know yet.

      Thanks for dropping by.

  7. So far the Coronavirus stats for Mexico are not really bad as it is for some countries.  With only 7 cases so far the country can take steps to curtail any significant increase.

    Like many countries around the world it is expected that Mexico’s tourism industry will be affected in some way as people are getting more scared to travel.

    Up to this point it is still ok to visit Mexico.  One just has to be careful, especially if they are visiting the 5 states where the virus has been seen so far. 

    1. Hi, Donald,

      Yes, fortunately, the situation in Mexico is not as bad. We have to be alert, not panic or let our guard down.

      There’s no doubt regarding its impact. It’s a worldwide thing, so it’s impossible to not suffer any negative consequences. What we have to do is minimize its effects as much as possible.

      So far, it’s okay to visit Mexico. Just take precaution and stay informed. Thanks for dropping by.

  8. Thank you for this article, it was informative and showed the issues all countries are facing.
    Of course Mexico is not alone in suffering lost trade and tourism; who knows how long it will last?
    TV and radio news continue to depress the masses and from this insecurity, panic and hysteria spring forth.
    Hand sanitisers in our local area are on a 3 week back order in just about every shop you go to but making it is simple: a couple of teaspoons of bleach in a jug of water. 
    Thank you for the positive thoughts at the end.

    1. Hi, Hori,

      You’re welcome. Glad you found this useful.

      Yes, we don’t know how long it will last. It’s important to not fall prey to panic. We just have to be alert.

      People are hoarding lots of things. Many stores ran out of hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies. 

      Thanks for the tip. I didn’t know about that formula.

      Thanks for commenting.

  9. Hello,

    It’s a very insightful post. I agree that it is important for us to be alert on things but don’t panic. It’s amazing and scary at the same time to see the hysteria among people everywhere the virus has created. I, myself, traveled back to Arizona from my trip to visit my family back in Indonesia last January. I was so worried since I traveled with a toddler myself. My husband couldn’t go with us because he has to work. Thankfully we got back home safe and sound. I did wear a mask, carry hand sanitizer, wet wipes, all that kinds of stuff with me and I watched my baby very carefully as well. As long as we don’t get near a sick person, always wash our hands and have strong immunity, we will be fine.

    Cheers,

    Ferra

    1. Hi, Ferra,

      Yes, we all need to calm down and not fall prey to panic. This will eventually end. We don’t know when, so we have to stay alert.

      I can only imagine. People are really scared and hoarding lots of stuff. I’m glad you made it safe.

      Hopefully, everythings will go back to normal soon. Thanks for commenting.

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