EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — The coronavirus keeps claiming lives on both sides of the border.
The El Paso City-County Public Health Department is reporting two new fatalities and 17 new cases this morning, bringing the total to 60 deaths and 2,393 cases. The deceased were men, one in his 50s, the other one in his 70s, both with underlying health conditions.
Meantime, Juarez, Mexico reports 33 new cases and 19 additional fatalities today, bringing its totals to 942 cases and 229 deaths.
“We are again extremely disappointed to advise the public of the loss of two lives,” said Dr. Hector Ocaranza, the city-county health authority. “Last week’s three days of triple-digit increases
He urged border residents to continue practicing social distancing, wear face coverings, wash hands frequently with soap and water and stay home if sick.
In Juarez, health officials say they have contained COVID-19 outbreaks at a migrant shelter and at the state prison.
At the Leona Vicario shelter a family of three remains in isolation since last week after testing positive to the virus and another family of four remains under observation. At the state prison where one inmate died last week after contracting the virus, four of the other 10 inmates who had tested positive have begun showing symptoms, but no new cases have been detected, Juarez authorities said this morning.
Juarez is set to begin its economic reopening on June 1. El Paso businesses have been operating at 25% capacity for several days now, with further loosening of restrictions coming later this week.
