The traditional Dia de Muertos or Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City is returning this year as the country continues to experience improvement in its COVID cases.

The colorful parade was canceled or made virtual last year due to the pandemic, Mexico News Daily reported.

The government of Mexico City said this year's Day of the Dead parade will commence on October 31 and will showcase a longer route. The parade will reportedly start in the Zocalo, then travel through Reforma, and end at the Campo Marte facilities. 

More than a thousand volunteers will participate in the Dia de Muertos parade. Among the volunteers were 150 musicians and 350 acrobats and dancers.

The Day of the Dead parade will be divided into four themes: Mexico City today, Tenochtitlan, Magic and Tradition, and Celebrating Life.

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Day of the Dead Parade Dedicated to COVID Victims

The celebration of the Day of the Dead this year will be more special. Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said it would be dedicated to the victims of COVID-19.

"This holiday is dedicated to all those thousands of people who lost their lives due to COVID-19. Tell them that the city is on its feet and begins to recover economic activity," Sheinbaum said.

The mayor noted that vaccination paved the way for the return of the Day of the Dead parade this year. According to Sheinbaum, 98 percent of the city's adult population had already received at least a single dose of vaccine.

However, she noted that the parade will still be held "with sanitary protections," adding that the event would provide a significant economic boost.

As part of the health measures, Mexico City Tourism Minister Paola Felix said the participants have rehearsed in groups composed of not more than 40 people. 

Felix added that there would be sanitary checkpoints and random COVID tests for participants during the Dia de Muertos event. In 2019, the festive celebration attracted around 2.6 million people. 

The Day of the Dead is a holiday in Mexico where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion. It includes food and celebration.

Dia de Muertos is celebrated each year from October 31 to November 2. The said celebration is rooted 3,000 years ago with rituals to honor the dead during the pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.

Aztecs and other Nahua people living in central Mexico believe that death is an "integral" part of their lives. Upon dying, they believe that a person will embark on a journey to reach Mictlan, the final resting place. 

Mexicans typically celebrate the Day of the Dead by leaving food or other offerings on their loved ones' graves or on makeshift altars called "ofrendas" in their homes.

COVID-19 Cases in Mexico

Mexico continues to see improvement in its COVID-19 cases. In the first 10 days of October, the country recorded a 43 percent drop in cases compared to September. Deaths related to COVID were also down 24 percent.

The said improvement followed a 38 percent decline in their September cases and a 1.3 percent decrease in the death related to COVID.

As of Sunday, there were over 40,000 active COVID cases in Mexico, a significantly lower figure since cases peaked at more than 100,000 in August.

In terms of vaccinations, Mexico has already administered over 107.1 million doses since vaccinations started in December. 

READ MORE: Bank of Mexico Releases New 20-Peso Bill, Coins to Commemorate 200 Years of Country's Independence

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

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