Mexico is one of a handful of destinations allowing Americans to escape the grim reality of the pandemic back at home, for a vacation. With little to no entry requirements, it has become a hotspot for novice and frequent travelers alike.
A recent report from The New York Times revealed that the number of U.S. visitors entering Mexico, more than doubled between June and August of 2020. In November alone, more than 500,000 Americans traveled to Mexico, with many of them entering through Mexico City.
The influx of visitors to Mexico has been great for the country’s tourism industry, but it has come with a consequence— the number of COVID-19 cases is dramatically increasing.
According to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine data, Mexico recorded 74,194 new COVID-19 cases between Dec. 6 and Dec. 12, the highest number on record since the onset of the pandemic.
On Sunday, Jan. 2, the same day the Transportation Security Administration reported that a record number of passengers passed through security checkpoints, Mexico recorded more than 1.4 million COVID-19 cases and more than 126,000 deaths.
The country has the fifth-highest COVID-19 death toll in the world.
Who’s To Blame?
The Washington Post attributes the increase in cases, partially, to the number of American visitors. The U.S. leads the world with the highest number of COVID-19 cases and death totals.
Despite warnings from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the US Department of State urging residents to “avoid travel ” to Mexico because of “very high” infection rates, many Americans are still traveling.
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The number of American tourists visiting the state of Quintana Roo, where Tulum and Cancun are located, increased by more than 23 percent in 2020. According to the Washington Post, roughly 100 flights from the U.S. landing in the region every day.
“People come here because they want to go to the biggest and best parties in Mexico, but the people hosting these events need to comply with the law,” Marco Rodriguez, administrative director for the Hospital de Tulum told The Post in an interview.
The increases in positive cases is said to come from people gathering in large groups, and not adhering to mask mandates and social distance rules. As we have urged, if you are going to travel, please follow any and all rules. Especially those requiring masks, proper sanitization and social distancing guidelines.
While Mexico has not implemented any travel bans or pre-testing requirements, some are predicting that it is only a matter of time before it happens.
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