McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — Health officials in the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas have started screening travelers at international bridges for symptoms of COVID-19.
The Tamaulipas Ministry of Health reports that this week they began checking for fevers and others signs of coronavirus on the Mexican side of international bridges in Reynosa, across from McAllen. Health checks were started Friday in Matamoros, across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas.
Travelers must wear face masks and there can be no more than two people per vehicle. They also must have a valid and necessary reason for crossing while border restrictions between the United States and Mexico remain in place at least through June 20 due to the ongoing pandemic.
“The state government will deploy its full response capacity to face the health contingency and limit damage to the health of the population,” Tamaulipas Health Minister Gloria Molina Gamboa said.
Tamaulipas, which shares 200 miles of border with South Texas, has seen a dramatic rise in coronavirus cases in the past three weeks. On Thursday, the state reported 20 new cases — 10 cases in Nuevo Laredo and five cases in Reynosa. This brings the total COVID-19 cases in the state to 1,664, with 101 deaths, including three more deaths reported on Thursday.
Molina’s office is urging anyone who doesn’t need to leave their home to “stay home.”
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at Ssanchez@borderreport.com.
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