At least 12 factory workers were reported to have died from COVID-19 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Health officials are worried the virus may have been silently spreading for weeks.

Health leaders voiced their concerns about the rising number of coronavirus victims working at assembly plants---most of which are US-owned. The new cases may be an indication that the global pandemic may have gone undetected for weeks.

Juarez authorities reported over 82 new coronavirus cases on Thursday. Twenty patients died due to the virus; twelve were discovered to be workers at maquiladoras, the border factories considered to be crucial to Ciudad Juarez's economy.

In El Paso, the city just across the border, health officials reported nearly 400 COVID-19 cases along with six fatalities.

Chihuahua's top health authority Dr. Arturo Valenzuela said the conditions in Juarez provide opportunities for the virus to rapidly spread through the general population, leading to explosive surges in coronavirus cases.

Before governments imposed strict lockdown procedures, most of the 300 maquiladoras employed 250,000 residents living in the area.

Coronavirus-Presumed Deaths

Lear Corporation, a Michigan-based company, was one of the hardest hit. A spokesman for the company confirmed some employees from one of their plants died from "a respiratory illness" said to be COVID-19.

The company, which specializes in making car parts, refused to give an exact number of fatalities. They also declined to comment when the workers fell ill and whether or not their families and friends also caught the disease.

Lear Corp. shut down plants in Juarez weeks ago in compliance with the Mexican government's orders. The state government issued lockdown guidelines on March 23. Lear closed its doors on March 27 after production in the US started declining.

According to the spokesman, the company later learned that some of its workers were seeking medical attention at a local government medical facility.

"We are saddened that several employees at our Juarez City operations have passed away," a company statement said. The company said it is collaborating with Social Security Mexican Institute to provide affected families with support, including medical care and counseling services.

Death Train

The Mexican Institute of Social Security oversees the operation of the country's public health system.

Many experts believe there are far more cases and deaths than those officially reported.

Susana Prieto, a lawyer and labor rights activist, said she believes the overall numbers are higher. She revealed that one COVID-19 patient working for Lear was recently transported to El Paso in a special ambulance. "We're looking at a death train," she said.

Many local groups and organizations are raising funds to support local health care facilities. They fear many workers would have a hard time recovering from the recession brought by the virus. The Mexican government is reportedly lacking in financial aid for affected citizens as well as support for small and medium businesses.

It's unclear how many people living near the border have been tested for COVID-19. Most, however, are sent to hospital #66, where nurses and doctors are running out of medical supplies.

Several plants have shifted production to help resolve the supply shortage. Unfortunately, firms are not only meeting growing demands for personal protective equipment, but also body bags.