Mexican medical professionals say COVID-19 presents no threat to next week’s third round of the World Rally Championship, Rally México.
Organizers of the León-based event have been in close contact with the Guanajuato state department of health ahead of the event and issued a positive statement following those meetings about the potential spread of the coronavirus.
The statement read: “Guanajuato’s Secretary of Health Daniel Alberto Díaz Martínez declared that there is no risk of the rally being suspended as a result of the COVID-19 cases detected in Mexico.”
The secretary of health added: “We have implemented an epidemiological surveillance system to monitor all the drivers and teams arriving from countries where the situation is most serious: China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Iran, and Singapore.
“The WRC Rally México will be held within the framework of these preventive measures, with support from a team of epidemiologists and health workers who will be stationed at those locations where the highest numbers of spectators are expected, as well as at the Rally Campus at Poliforum León, in order to guarantee the health of all those attending.”
Rally director Patrick Suberville said the event would remain in close contact with the authorities.
“Everything is in place for the event and we are ready and prepared to assist the authorities with whatever they ask of us,” said Suberville. “We are in constant communication with them and follow their instructions.”
As part of those plans, visitors to the event have been asked to avoid “normal forms of greeting in Mexico, such as shaking hands and kissing cheeks, to avoid wearing ties, and to ensure any facial hair is kept perfectly clean.”
Regular hand washing, avoiding touching the face and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer is also recommended.
The World Health Organization has registered five cases of coronavirus in Mexico. This compares with 80,303 cases in China, where next month’s Formula 1 round has been postponed.
