Mexico: Virus testing expands to Latam's biggest market

Local health officials have set up a COVID-19 testing centre inside Mexico city's 'Central de Abastos', Latin America's largest produce market, and launched an informational campaign to protect workers and customers in a place where social distancing is difficult to achieve.

Lab technicians Rocío Bautista Avalos and Ulises Cenas Santana said y have been testing an average of a hundred people per day since testing centre was set up in early May.

"Many people come from or states of country and converge in this spot," said 32-year-old Cenas. "y might get infected here, and following week y have to come back to bring ir cargo to be sold."

According to market officials, 'Central de Abastos', catered to around 300,000 people every day before pandemic and has implemented health measures such as quick temperature checks throughout market.

Rocío Bautista Avalos, a lab technician with over 15 years of experience and who has been testing people for new coronavirus since crisis started said she h seen a change in people's attitudes towards pandemic as y learn about relatives, acquaintances, or neighbours falling sick or even dying from COVID-19.

"Now people are taking it more seriously; y don't think it's a government smokescreen anymore," she said. "y are taking safety measures more seriously, and that benefits us all."

For most people, new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older ults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

(Representative Image)