The Covid-19 pandemic cost Mexico more than 555,000 jobs in April, according to figures given on Tuesday by the country’s Social Security Institute, which brought the total to 685,000 jobs lost since restrictions were imposed in March.
Mexico now has 19.9 million officially employed people.
The statistics do not take into account informal workers, who are estimated to represent 57 per cent of total employment.
The economically active population, who were working or looking for work, amounted to 57 million people in the country of 130 million in March.
Health authorities say infections are now at their highest level, a situation that is expected to last at least until May 20.
Mexico has recorded 36,327 COVID-19 cases, with 3,573 deaths.
The pandemic could lead to nearly 10 million more people finding themselves without sufficient income to cover their basic expenses, the National Council of Evaluation of Social Development Policy warned on Monday.
COVID-19 could “reverse the advances in social development in the last decade,” it said.
About 52 million Mexicans are currently classified as poor.
