A Mexico City OXXO sign over an empty ice freezer reads, "Due to the high demand of ice, and to benefit as many clients as possible, the limit of ice sales is three bags per customer."   (William Savinar/ Courthouse News)

Mexico City, May 31 (RHC)-- The Mexican Ministry of Health (SSA) reported this Thursday that until the third week of May the nation is experiencing its third heat wave, causing 61 deaths in the country and 1,346 cases of heat stroke in the current year.

The portfolio published in epidemiological week 21, which runs from May 22 to 28, 390 cases related to extreme natural temperatures and 13 deaths were reported nationwide.  “Six are attributed to the second heat wave, which were under review during that period, and three are attributed to the third wave,” of the total deaths reported by the ministry.

According to the report, the deaths are registered in Veracruz (16), Tabasco (11), San Luis Potosí (9), Tamaulipas (9), Oaxaca (4), Nuevo León (4), Hidalgo (4), Chiapas (1 ), Campeche (1), Guanajuato (1), and Sonora with one case, which corresponds to a global fatality rate of 4.52 percent.

The Secretary will follow the third heat wave of the season over the nation, with which temperatures higher than 40 degrees are predicted in 27 Mexican states.  Likewise, he stated that temperatures above 45 degrees will prevail in Sinaloa, Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Morelos, Veracruz and Tabasco.

Maximum temperatures of 40 and 45 degrees are also forecast to arrive in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Durango, Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Puebla, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

Meanwhile, for the state of Mexico and Zacatecas, maximum temperatures are forecast between 35 to 40 degrees and Mexico City and Aguascalientes will get between 30 and 35 degrees.

Researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) warned a week ago that the country would see the highest temperatures in its records in the next 15 days.