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Coronavirus Mexico:
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Updated - March 24, 2020 - Mexico coronavirus update: five deaths, 405 cases of COVID-19 confirmed (+48 in a day)

Updated - March 23, 2020 - Mexico coronavirus update: two deaths, 316 cases of COVID-19 confirmed (+65 in a day)

Updated - March 23, 2020 - One point of View

Coronavirus in Mexico - Update - Puerto Vallarta

March 18, 2020

Our week in Nuevo Vallarta was terrific! We visited with friends and Aimfair acquaintances.

Many guests and staff members were not thinking about the steps health officials are advocating to reduce the possible spread of the virus. Fist bumps and elbow bumps were offered only by those who were taking the spread of the virus seriously.

Today, the number of cases in Mexico increased to 93. On Monday, March 16, 2020, Nayarit state government officials imposed rules that required businesses and schools to close for a period of time. Bars and restaurants were asked to suspend operations as well.

Businesses in Puerto Vallarta, on the other hand remain open, although schools will suspend classes through March

Cruise ships are suspending arrivals into Puerto Vallarta until April. This reduces tourism by 42,000 passengers.

It appears government officials in the counties of Nayarit and Jalisco do not view the risks associated with the virus in the same way, and there could be infections that spread from Jalisco to Nayarit inadvertently. There is going to be confusion in the coming days because tourists will feel at risk too.

Following is the latest update from Mexicanist.com:


Puerto Vallarta coronavirus update: Cruise lines cancels arrivals in Puerto Vallarta due to quarantine
Published Date: March 18, 2020


As a preventive measure against the Covid-19 pandemic, all shipping lines have cancelled their arrivals in Puerto Vallarta, which could resume until April, said Carlos Gerard Guzman, their shipping agent.

This Sunday, the last Rotterdam cruise ship arrived after concluding its journey early, and passengers are being repatriated by air to their destinations, especially the United States.

This cruise ship, which has a capacity for 1,400 passengers and 600 crew members, spent the night last night in this port and it is expected that this Monday all its passengers will have been repatriated by air to their places of origin.

Carlos Gerard urged the authorities to begin an intense promotion of the destination once the contingency is over, in order to reactivate its economy, which is almost totally dependent on the tourism sector.

Since last Friday the region began to report cancellations of hotel rooms on the eve of Easter, as well as for the coming months, both from domestic and foreign tourists.

The main market of this port and the Riviera Nayarit is the national tourist, as well as those from the United States and Canada.

AMG and Puerto Vallarta taxi drivers asked to disinfect their vehicles on every trip
The State Transportation Secretary asks transportation companies and traditional taxis in the Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta metropolitan areas to adopt preventive measures to avoid contagion in the face of the alert caused by the Coronavirus.

It asks for an exhaustive cleaning of the interior of the vehicles, with special attention to the parts of the vehicle where the user has the most contact, such as handles and safety belts.

This cleaning with disinfectant products should be done at the end of each trip.

The Secretary of Transportation warns that the General Direction of Supervision of Public Transportation has the instruction to verify that these recommendations are complied with.

Nayarit without shops, cinemas, and nightlife; Vallarta keeps them open
The Nayarit state government asked businessmen to stop working to protect the citizenry; Puerto Vallarta businesses remain open.

Thousands of businesses had to close their doors as a preventive measure in Nayarit, including Banderas Bay, after the increase of coronavirus cases in our country.

Through official bulletins, the state government asked the establishments where people congregate to close to avoid risks and during the night of this Monday, March 16, security elements asked the night clubs to end the activities.

Cinemas, bars, and massive events were suspended; in Banderas Bay, the San Jose del Valle festivities were suspended.

However, although we are a metropolitan area, in Puerto Vallarta these measures were not adopted and establishments will continue to be open.

The only thing that was canceled are government activities and some massive events, although with less rigor than in Bahia.

Coronavirus didn't hit Puerto Vallarta that hard
Despite the measures taken in the country due to the increase in the number of infected people, Puerto Vallarta enjoyed 80% hotel occupancy.

Puerto Vallarta won the first battle against the coronavirus during this long weekend, as hotels had, on average, an 80% occupancy rate, despite the measures that have been taken in the country.

This bridge brought thousands of national tourists to enjoy the city's warm waters and although some security measures were taken, the coronavirus did not diminish the recreational spaces at all.

However, not everything is 'honey on a stick' in this tourist destination, as during this very productive weekend, it was also reported that all the remaining cruise ships in the season cancelled their arrivals.

Fourteen in total, according to figures from the Port Authority itself, which represents the loss of more than 42 thousand tourists.

Another period that may be affected is the number of tourists arriving during Easter week, although official data has not yet been issued.

For now, no business in Puerto Vallarta has closed its doors due to the national alert and although schools will suspend classes as of Tuesday, March 17, no other actions are in sight in the coming days.

Precautionary measures at airports and transport hubs due to Covid-19
In the airports of Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, as well as in bus stations, medical screening filters were installed, supervised by the Jalisco Health Secretariat (SSJ), where tourists arriving in the State are permanently checked.

The filter consists of a temperature check through thermal control; in addition, it will be verified that they do not present symptoms that are indicative of an acute respiratory infection.

In case of fever, a quick evaluation will be carried out to corroborate that in the last 14 days there has been no contact of Covid-19 with a confirmed or under investigation case, or if it was in countries where there is virus transmission.

In addition to the airports, filters will also be installed in the terminals of the Puerto Vallarta Port Authority, as well as in docks 1 and 3, prepared for the arrival of boats, and in the Puerto Magico terminal.

The General Strategic Coordinator for Growth and Economic Development, Alejandro Guzman Larralde, said that Jalisco's tourism destinations maintain good occupancy expectations due to the fact that much of the tourism they receive is national.

"We are communicating with the municipalities to inform them of the precautionary measures that they should take individually, as well as in the points of high tourist influx," he said.

For his part, Germán Ernesto Kotsiras Ralis Cumplido, Jalisco's Secretary of Tourism, pointed out that the tourism industry is working together to responsibly prevent the spread of the virus.

"The coronavirus is leading us to carry out actions between the Private Initiative and the State Government that will first guarantee the health of citizens and visitors to maintain the promotion and economic development of the sector," he said.

PUERTO VALLARTA TERMINALS MONITORED FOR CORONAVIRUS
Puerto Vallarta International Airport and the Port Authority are under surveillance due to the coronavirus alert that began in the town in Wuhan, China and has already spread to four other countries.

This was reported by Dr. Efren Calderon Ramirez, coordinator of International Health of the Eighth Sanitary Region, who explained that the general population is being notified and in the case of seaports and airport facilities, users are being notified of the travel advisory that exists for those who want to go to China.

Likewise, when an international flight or boat arrives, especially from the United States, Canada or Tijuana, the health section in the general travel declaration is verified and above all, visual contact is sought with those coming from the Pacific area of the United States and Canada, since that is where flight connections with China are most common.

When an international flight or boat arrives, especially from the United States, Canada or Tijuana, the health section of the general travel declaration is checked.

This statement refers to whether or not they were ill during the journey, and what type of symptoms they had, in case any illness is suspected proceed to quarantine whether personal, partial or total. So far, no case has been presented and there are active personnel, 6 doctors and 3 nurses, who are attentive to what may happen. He said that if in the countries where there is an alert it gets out of control, then it would be worth doing personal checks.

He reiterated that at this moment, Puerto Vallarta is in the revision phase, if this could be complicated the next step would be to fill out a survey of tourists, both those who arrive and those who leave. And if an alarm were to be raised for this disease, infrared thermometers would have to be placed to detect in groups of 8 to 10 people if they present a feverish picture.

By Mexicanist
The Puerto Vallarta International Airport was very busy Saturday, March 14, 2020. Many vacationers were leaving for home. There were few indications of concern over the virus.

That has since changed. Restrictions imposed by home country governments are making it very difficult to return until after the incubaton period is over. This could be the tip of the proverbial "Iceberg".
The months of March and April are critical. Let's all hope for the best...and stay tuned...
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