Mexico overtook India as the country with the third-highest COVID-19 deaths globally. The latest tally places the total deaths due to the coronavirus at 155,145 as of Thursday. Mexico’s health ministry logged 18,670 new coronavirus cases and 1,506 deaths on Thursday.

 As of this week, India’s total death toll stands at 153,847. India has a population of more than 10 times Mexico’s 126 million inhabitants.

According to data published by Johns Hopkins University, the ratio of Mexico’s COVID-19 deaths based on its population is lower than in other countries. Populated nations such as Spain, the U.S., Italy, and the UK have higher coronavirus deaths per headcount.

Like other countries, Mexico is struggling to contain the virus despite its imposition of strict movement restrictions and lockdowns. Hospitals in the country are reportedly now nearing capacity and some parts of the South American nation are running low on supplies such as oxygen tanks.

Over the weekend, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced that he had contracted the coronavirus. Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell said that the president’s infection was “mild” and that he was “in good spirits. “

Mexico had begun administering Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccines to its population in December last year. However, the country’s rate of new cases and deaths has not declined. Mexico is currently experiencing a positive test rate of over 40%, which indicates the prevalence of high undetected cases.