Mexican president toughens stance, urges people to stay home to contain pandemic

Jaime Diaz, a veterinary doctor, voluntarily sanitizes the Paso del Norte international border bridge, as a measure to stop the spreading of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico March 26, 2020. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's president on Friday urged people to stay indoors to prevent an "overwhelming" spread of coronavirus, taking his strongest stance yet against the pandemic that has killed over 27,000 worldwide and infected nearly 600,000 so far.

"We have to stay in our homes, we have to keep a healthy distance," Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in a 14-minute video on YouTube, warning that the health system may not be able to cope with a mass outbreak of cases, although Mexico has so far registered far fewer cases than other countries.