About a quarter of Mexico's 126 million people are estimated to have been infected with the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday, far more than the country's confirmed infections.
The 2020 National Health and Nutrition Survey (Ensanut) showed that about 31.1 million people have had the virus, the ministry said in a statement, citing Tonatiuh Barrientos, an official at the National Institute of Public Health.
The estimate was given as the country recorded 3,282 new cases and 243 more fatalities, taking its total number of confirmed infections to 2,448,820 and the death toll to 229,823.
The government has said previously the real number of cases was likely to be significantly higher.
According to Barrientos, not all of the people in the survey's estimate necessarily showed symptoms. The survey was based on interviews with people at 13,910 households between Aug. 17 and Nov. 14 last year, and confirmed preliminary results released in December.
Separate data published in March suggested Mexico's actual death toll was at least 60% above the confirmed figure.
Kenyan court charges 8 schoolgirls with fellow students' murder
At least 5 people killed in fire in Antwerp apartment block
Three people die in Mexico World Cup celebrations as fans crowd streets
US and Iran enter technical talks to secure peace deal, shipping restart
After Venezuela quakes, citizens lead rescues amid military theft accusations
Two dead after wildfire guts house in northern Greece
Afghanistan launches airstrikes on IS targets on border with Pakistan
Bangladesh warns of dengue surge as weather aids spread
