VOA常速英语:墨西哥修改新冠死亡人数,猛增60%

Mexico has revised its coronavirus death toll figures, increasing the tally by 60 percent. That makes it one of the top three nations in the world with the highest death toll. The new statistics are staggering as the Mexican population of 126 million is far below the populations of the first and second highest death toll nations. The United States has the highest death toll and Brazil is the next highest. Public health analysts had warned that Mexico's death count was likely higher than previous figures had indicated because the country's health care system was overwhelmed by the pandemic. That resulted in few available intensive care beds. That led to many people dying at home. Their deaths may not have been counted in the COVID death toll. The new numbers follow a government review of death certificates.

Late Sunday, Mexico received one and a half million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine. That's according to the Foreign Ministry. The vaccines were part of 2.7 million doses the United States promised its southern neighbor in a pact reached earlier this month between the two countries. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved in Mexico for use but has not been approved yet for use in the United States although the United States has stockpiled those shots.

Islamic State claimed responsibility Monday for a dayslong attack on the northern Mozambique town of Palma. The attack began last week and has prompted thousands of people to flee. Dozens of people have been killed in the ongoing fighting in the Southern African nation, according to government officials. IS said Monday through its Amaq News Agency that it is now in control of Palma. That's a town of about 75,000 people. The IS claim could not be independently verified. On Sunday, Mozambique officials said they were fighting the rebels in several locations to in an effort to regain control of the town. Islamist insurgents began a coordinated attack last Wednesday on the town, which is about 10 kilometers from a multinational gas project run by major oil companies, including the French energy company, Total. Via remote, I'm Marissa Melton, VOA news.