Government claims reopening economy in Puerto Vallarta didn’t cause spike in COVID-19 cases

Without reopening the nightlife and with hotels at 30% of their capacity, Puerto Vallarta reactivated tourism on June 16.

In response, the governor and the Mayor of Puerto Vallarta, Arturo Davalos, said that although infections and deaths increased by COVID-19, they were not accelerated by the reopening.

The governor indicated that in the count from 20 days before the reopening, there were 17 contagions on average daily, after which it increased to 23.

However, those numbers are not accurate. New cases of the coronavirus spurred by the reopening would not be counted on the day of reopening. It would be July 1 before any cases were detected from an infection after the economic reopening.

During the month of June, the daily average cases were 12 new cases each day, not 17. During the month of July, average daily cases rose to 30 cases per day. That is an increase of 150% since the two week incubation period following the June 16 reopening.

“There was an increase but it did not go off, exceeding the authority’s response capacity. It has increased, but it is going at a slow pace,” said the governor in the face of a 150% increase in cases.

Also, he indicated, it was reflected in the number of deaths.

“Before the opening, we brought 1.4 deaths a day, today we bring 1.9. It has not been drastic and, although there has been a slow increase, our hospitalization response capacity is good. We are at 50% of capacity (in Puerto Vallarta). We brought an average of five hospitalizations and now 12”, he detailed.

During the month of June, the average death was .87 deaths per day, not 1.4 as the governor claimed. From July 1 until July 21, the average death rate was 1.8 deaths per day, totaling a 106% increase in the daily average deaths since the opening of the economy in Puerto Vallarta.

Also, the Governor has already stated that a hospital rate of 50% would trigger an economic shutdown in the state. Puerto Vallarta is already at that threshold, the number the governor has already determined to be concerning.

Two days ago, Civil Protection and Firefighters of Jalisco shared images of tourists and locals on the beaches without taking into account sanitary measures.

The governor stressed that “we need to maintain discipline and that people understand that the provisions of authority are to take care of the lives of those who live there and those who visit.”

Mayor Dávalos mentioned that, although bars, canteens and clubs want to open, “we will gradually open as businessmen commit to complying with and taking care of protocols.”

However, the Mayor is unable to enforce compliance with the parts of the economy that have already opened, or shows little interest in doing so.

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