The northern Mexican state of Sonora, which borders Arizona and a small portion of New Mexico, is tightening border restrictions this weekend as both regions experience an increase in coronavirus cases.
In anticipation of the weekend of July 4, the state government announced plans placing filters in the main border cities of Sonora to push back tourists and those who travel for other non-essential purposes
“We are all going to be on alert right now to prevent them from coming, whether they are Mexicans living in the United States, Americans or those who want to come to spend the weekend and put a greater burden on us with respect to COVID,” said the Ms. Governor Claudia Pavlovich said in A statement to the Arizona Daily Star.
Sonora’s health secretary, Enrique Clausen, said On twitter Wednesday I intended look for more restrictive temporary controls for non-essential travel. Clausen has tested positive for the virus.
“I will request the State Health Council to request the Mexican Council of Health and Foreign Affairs to temporarily close the United States border with Sonora to avoid and reduce COVID-19 infections,” he said.
As it stands, the United States has restrictions on non-essential traffic to the United States from Mexico. The restrictions that Clausen requires in Sonora would do the same for traffic bound for Mexico from the U.S.
A spokesperson for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R) told the Star in an email Thursday that the governor’s office is also discouraging citizens from traveling during the July 4 weekend.
Arizona is currently one of the states most affected by the virus, and Sonora has also begun to see an increase in cases.
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