At the April 21st National morning press briefing, Mexico Undersecretary of Health Prevention and Promotion, Dr. Hugo López Gatell Ramirez announced the beginning of Phase 3 of Covid-19 in Mexico. A health alert sent out that day by the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City detailed Phase 3 as meaning rapid transmission in the number of infections and increased numbers of patients requiring hospitalization.
As this stage represents active outbreaks and rapid spread in the thousands, the General Health Board has approved different control measures, including keeping the National Healthy Distance (Sana Distancia) policies in place through May 30th , as well as ongoing suspension of non-essential activities in the public, private, and social realms.
López-Gatell Ramírez further detailed ongoing suspension of activities in public spaces including movie theaters, theaters, parks, plazas, and beaches, as an effective mechanism for healthy distancing. As in an earlier press conference, he noted distancing measures may be eased earlier in municipalities with no or low transmission, with May 17th being the target date so that reopening of certain areas could begin on May 18th. This is only if municipalities that currently have no or low transmissions of Covid-19 are able to maintain this rate.
As of April 21, there were 9501 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Mexico, with 857 deaths. These numbers represent 1,946 cases in the western part of the country, 938 in the north, 4,442 in the center, and 1,446 in the southeastern part of Mexico.
In the latest report from the Secretary of Health in Sonora Enrique Clausen, as of the evening of April 21st, there were 165 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Sonora, and a total of 17 deaths. There has been an ongoing increase of cases particularly in San Luis Rio Colorado (79), with additional cases in Hermosillo (27), Huatabampo (15), Cajeme (12), Caborca (7), Nogales (6), Magdalena, Navojoa, and Sáric with 4 each, Guaymas and Opodepe with 2 each, and Agua Prieta, Etchojoa and Sonoyta with 1. The first confirmed case in Sonoyta (municipality Plutarco Elías Calles) just to the north of Puerto Peñasco was announced on the morning of April 21st.