Mexico says coronavirus now endemic, not pandemic

The Mexican government said Tuesday that COVID-19 has passed from a pandemic to an endemic stage in Mexico, meaning authorities will treat it as a seasonally recurring disease.

Mexico never enforced face mask requirements, and the few partial shutdowns of businesses and activities were lifted weeks ago.

"It is now retreating almost completely," said President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

New case numbers have declined. But that may be because Mexico, which never did much testing, is now offering even fewer tests.

Daily death rates have also dropped sharply.

Mexico has recorded almost 325,000 test-confirmed deaths, but government reviews of death certificates suggest the real toll is almost 490,000.

About 90% of adult Mexicans have recieved at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.