State confirms prisoner deaths
The undersecretary of the State Penitentiary System said that the cause of death of two people inside Mexicali Prison and another in Tijuana Prison are under investigation by the Baja California Department of Public Health.
Due to the contingency caused by COVID-19, the authorities said they have taken pertinent measures inside state prisons to prevent any outbreaks.
The agency said the Department of Public Health will determine if the deaths were caused by COVID-19.
Undersecretary of the State Penitentiary System Salvador Morales specified that available information so far indicates the first death was reported Wednesday in Tijuana.The prisoner, only identified as Lorena, suffered hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus. The cause of death was determined as pneumonia.
On Thursday, Mexicali prisoner Miguel Alberto, 30, died of septic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome and high blood pressure.
On Friday, another prisoner, who was identified as Luis Enrique, was reported dead. The prisoner suffered from obesity, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The death occurred in the hospital.
Morales said all the state penitentiary centers have implemented sanitary measures while inmate visiting has been temporarily suspended.Days ago, relatives of inmates demanded authorities to implement measures to prevent the spread to other prisoners.
After pressure from
U.S. senators, including the California Democrat Dianne Feinstein, over 40,000 workers from a hundred companies that had closed before due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be forced to return to work in the coming days when their companies resume operations.
The reopening was a decision of the state government, said Secretary of Sustainable Economy and Tourism (SEST) Mario Escobedo Carignan.
The official explained that the resumption of activities in the plants that proved to be “essential” will be in accordance with a strict sanitary protocol that includes provision of supplies and protective equipment to prevent contagion.
Escobedo Carignan explained that the state’s decision to allow reopening and reactivation of production in these plants derives from an agreed pause to review the characteristics of the manufacturing of accessories, equipment and products, or the services provided.
“Let us remember that some companies were suspended by state authorities and others stopped operations by their own decision, as they were not considered essential, as set in the Sanitary Emergency Agreement by Force Majeure of the General Health Council,” the secretary said. “However, after an analysis of those companies that closed we found that they are suppliers of companies that are essential.”
Company directors who suspended operations contacted the agency and presented their particular cases, seeking support with the thorough review of their activities and services, to show that they are within the category of “essential.” Once the procedure was completed, they were informed they can resume activities.
Dozens of manufacturing plants were forced to close their doors by the Department of Labor after complaints were made by their workers who denounced the lack of safety measures.
Escobedo Carignan added that, to date, there are 100 companies that will be able to resume operations. Together they account for 100,000 jobs.
However, he clarified that it will be less than 40 percent who return to work normally. The other 60 percent of plant staff will remain at home with full wages paid, as specified by the federal government.
Reopening plants must implement sanitation and hygiene protocols while maintaining social distancing between workers, constantly clean work areas and use of face masks, gloves and germicidal hand cleaner.