Mexican health officials reported 39 deaths in a single day directly related to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The total death climbed to 233 fatalities since the pandemic first entered the country.

Health officials released the updated information during their nightly news conference in Mexico City. Currently, health officials confirmed 3,844 COVID-19 cases — a jump of 403 confirmed cases in one day from the 3,441 on Thursday night.

The current epicenter for the pandemic in Mexico is Mexico City with 1,040 confirmed cases. Authorities have not revealed the suspected number of total cases that have not been tested for in that area.  The most recent figures show that Mexico has carried out only 33,893 tests on sick individuals. According to recent statements by Mexico’s Undersecretary of Health Hugo Lopez Gatell, the small number of tests is done as part of a measuring strategy where their estimates place the true scope of the pandemic in Mexico at 8.2 times the number of confirmed cases.

The rising number of cases and fatalities come at a time when medical workers in Mexico continue to call out the lack of protective equipment and medical supplies at the various clinics across the country. As Breitbart Texas has reported, there have been at least three cases where dozens of doctors, nurses, and staff from three separate hospitals became infected.

As health officials continue asking the public to stay indoors, Mexico’s federal government has ordered the closing of most non-essential businesses in order to reduce exposure. However, business owners claim that the government has done little to protect the economy or provide aid to struggling companies during the pandemic.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.     

Tony Aranda from Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project contributed to this report