Mexico has surpassed 90,000 death linked to COVID-19 after 495 more people were killed as of Wednesday.

(Photo : Cristopher Rogel Blanquet/Getty Images)
A person wearing a typical costume from the Tatei Kie people of Jalisco rests in the central courtyard of the National Palace where the Day of the Dead offering was placed in honor of the people who have died by COVID-19 in Mexico as part of the 'Day of the Dead' celebration on October 31, 2020 in Mexico City, Mexico.

According to Reuters, at least 90,308 people have died from COVID-19 in Mexico. This places the country as the fourth in number of deaths from the virus worldwide.

It's also very likely that the actual number of deaths is much higher than what is being reported since COVID-19 testing in Mexico is lacking.

After looking at the numbers this week, health officials believe there are at least 50,000 more COVID-19 related deaths in the country.

Also on Wednesday, Mexico's Health Ministry reported 5,595 more coronavirus cases.

The total number of cases in the country is 906,863.

COVID-19 Mutes Day of the Dead in Mexico

This grim milestone effectively muted the Mexican Day of the Dead, a time when Mexicans were meant to honot deceased loves ones.

The holiday has been securely practiced in the region, but the pandemic has forced people to stop adorning graves with flowers and observing other traditions.

It is the case faced by 68-year-old Javier Suárez when he was met by the closed gates of San Nicolás Tolentino cemetery.

"This virus is truly a tragedy," Suárez told Los Angeles Times, noting that while the virus has already killed thousands of people, it also left many people in fear.

"But now this COVID is destroying our traditions," he said.

In efforts to hinder the spread of COVID-19, officials have placed restrictions on public gatherings. Officials have also banned cemetery visits.

It was an emotional change for many Mexicans as they were forced to pay respects to their loved ones at home.

Only some managed to visit cemeteries before closures began in the past week.

Suárez told the Times that he ventured to some gravesites before the holiday, but some cemeteries have also closed.

So he was forced to stand outside locket gates, unable to tidy their family members' graves.

COVID-19 forced dying people to stay away from their kin even in their final moments, even traditional funerals were barred.

Some were never seen for one last time as COVID-19 safety precautions asked for a cremation.

Many in Mexico are faced with this bitter irony: amid a pandemic where many seek to properly mourn for lost loved ones, they're not allowed to do so.

Apart from the emotional toll, many Mexicans who also rely on street commerce during this time were forced off business.

Thousands were forced out of business and Day of the Dead paraphernalia is expected to go down 70% or more.

Latin America Hit Thousands of COVID-19 Deaths

Other than Mexico, other Latin American countries were also hard hit by the coronavirus.

According to Medical Xpress, Argentina surpassed a toll of 30,000, alongside Peru and Colombia.

But both countries are still far behind Brazil, which is the region's worst-hit nation with five million recorded cases and almost 160,000 deaths.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged the public to remain vigilant.

Official commemoration for all those who died from the pandemic will be done during traditional Day of the Dead celebrations next Monday.

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