Last week, Mexico’s government stopped the shipment of 20,000 COVID-19 rapid tests ordered by the State of Jalisco, explaining the tests were not approved or reliable.
With a week of increased cases of COVID-19 and deaths in Mexico, the federal government has changed its position on the use of rapid testing in the country. At the time, The Governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro Ramírez, accused the federal government of purposely trying to hide the spread of the virus in Mexico.
With the Federal Government clearing the way, Jalisco reactivated the process of purchasing 20,000 rapid tests to detect COVID-19 in the state; now its acquisition will depend on availability in the market.
“The intention of Jalisco and what we have in the budget is to have the capacity to apply 600 tests every day for 30 days; all we need (to know) is how many tests they can provide us and when they would be available,” said the Governor, who announced that the laboratory at Roberto Mendiola Health Center in Puerto Vallarta will be enabled to take samples and process them. Puerto Vallarta has been limited in testing and has only announced 4 infections and 2 deaths in the city, numbers are expected to be well-above those being reported.
The head of the Jalisco Ministry of Health, Fernando Petersen Aranguren, reported that no later than April 14, the rapid tests donated by China to Mexico will be delivered to the State of Jalisco; however, it is unknown how many of the 90,000 rapid tests will be provided to the state.
Alfaro Ramírez reported that, in addition to those that the federal administration will send to the entity, the state government will seek to buy more rapid tests.
