Mexico City reopening shops, street markets, sport complexes

Mexico said Friday that it will allow more businesses to reopen in parts of the country despite continued high infection and death rates.

The federal Health Department said 5,441 more coronavirus cases were confirmed nationwide Friday, for a total of 208,392 since the pandemic began. Confirmed COVID-19 deaths rose by 719, to 25,779.

Mexico City announced that starting next week it would allow the reopening of shops, street markets and athletic complexes but with limited capacity and hours.

On a four-color alert level, in which red is the worst and green the best, Mexico City said it was downgrading the city's alert to "orange" even though it has the country's largest numbers of infections and deaths.

Hotels and restaurants in the capital will reopen next week at about 30% seating capacity. And despite the announcement on markets, many of the city's street markets never closed during the pandemic.

By July 6, shopping malls and department stores will open. Bars, gyms, schools and other businesses will remain closed.

The city said hospital bed occupancy had declined somewhat, one indicator that could justify reopening.

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