Mexico records over 300,000 Covid deaths
Some 646,000 more people died in Mexico in the past two years up to 13 December than would have been expected according to the average of the previous five years
Mexico has become the fifth country in the world to register more than 300,000 deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The country reported 131 new deaths on Friday, bringing its total number of fatalities with Covid-19 to 300,101.
Only the United States, Brazil, India and Russia have recorded more pandemic deaths.
In Mexico, testing for the coronavirus is extremely limited. Nevertheless, the number of officially confirmed new infections has increased significantly. On Friday, the number of infections rose by 28,023 to 4,083,118.
Mexico has the highest excess mortality - often considered a better measure of the actual death toll during the pandemic - according to an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) survey of its 38 member states.
Some 646,000 more people died in Mexico in the past two years up to 13 December than would have been expected according to the average of the previous five years.
About 56 per cent of Mexico's approximately 126 million inhabitants are considered fully vaccinated with one of the 10 approved vaccines.
Without lockdowns
There was never a lockdown during the pandemic in the Latin American country; the borders remained largely open.
Neither on entry from abroad nor in public places is proof of vaccination or recovery required.
Populist President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has repeatedly played down the danger posed by the coronavirus.
In January last year, when Mexico experienced its deadliest virus wave, López Obrador also contracted Covid-19. The 68-year-old almost never wears a mask.