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Mexico and Quintana Roo are seeing rising COVID cases as officials warn about a worsening fifth wave. Although the government hasn’t announced any widespread measures affecting tourists, businesses in Cancun are applying new restrictions to keep visitors safe. Quintana Roo has seen around 400 new reported cases of the disease in the past few days, but hospitalizations remain low.
Although COVID measures may have been lifted in many countries across the world, in Cancun and Quintana Roo, businesses are choosing to voluntarily apply some measures to keep employees and visitors safe. Quintana Roo is Mexico’s most significant region for tourism, and visitors travel there from around the world, potentially bringing in more contagious variants of the disease.
Due to the heightened alert level among local businesses, tourists are still likely to encounter several measures when accessing public areas including shopping centers, supermarkets, as well as restaurants, and shops. These preventive actions include health checks, such as taking customers’ temperature the entrance, as well as sanitation measures. Meanwhile, many employees across the region continue to wear protective face masks, and social distancing remains an important hallmark for the area’s tourism employees.
The Caribbean Council for Business Coordination (CCE), a business organization that helps coordinate tourism operators in Cancun, says that its members are taking a responsible approach to the current COVID wave. The goal, it says, is to keep tourism safe despite the health risks posed by the disease.
“We are recommending not to lower our guard because otherwise, we will see more cases, which will most likely lead to new infections and a probable fifth wave. Even though we aren’t seeing severe cases, the situation nevertheless affects tourism”, Iván Ferrat, president of the CCE said in a statement to Sipse.
As a result of the record-breaking tourism season, flights to Cancun are at unprecedented levels, and the area is seeing a massive influx from all corners of the globe. As a result, businesses operating in indoor spaces – such as restaurants, museums, or shops – must remain especially vigilant and strict.
It’s worth reminding that the Mexican Caribbean continues to be the top choice for travelers headed to Mexico, with Cancún being the preferred destination, closely followed by Playa del Carmen and Riviera Maya.
Meanwhile, tourism from the United States, the main market for visitors in Mexico, removed all COVID testing requirements for departing and incoming passengers. Although no new widespread measures have been announced at the country or state level, authorities urge tourists to comply with health recommendations. These include, among other things, regular hand washing as well as the use of face masks in closed indoor spaces and busy public areas
Fifth COVID Wave Affecting Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo and Cancun are seeing more and more reported cases in what officials are calling the fifth wave. The state started seeing an alarming number of new cases after June 7th, as more infections were reported and home quarantine numbers grew.
Quintana Roo saw 429 new reported cases on June 15th, indicating a consistent growth in numbers, in line with the 73% weekly increase recorded nationwide. Meanwhile, there are a total of 1397 active cases in the state, making Quintana Roo one of the hardest-hit states by the new wave.
As far as health measures are concerned, the state government has opted for recommending face masks for the general population instead of issuing a binding mandate. However, face-covering masks will once again be mandatory for certain employees as well as people accessing public offices.
The next few weeks will be critical in determining the severity of the new wave. Fortunately, hospitalizations remain low, with only 25 people being treated in state hospitals. At the same time, Mexico enjoys excellent vaccine coverage, and those who have not been vaccinated are urged to do so.
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