Mexico City

Law firms and multinational corporations in Mexico say they are taking precautions to protect their staff from the spread of COVID-19 and are busy advising clients, despite the decision by Mexican officials to keep its borders open to international travelers — even as the U.S. and several other countries in Latin America impose temporary bans on European arrivals.

Ana López Mestre, a lawyer and director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, said Wednesday that the group's 1,400 members are adopting corporate guidelines such as avoiding unnecessary international trips.

Above all, she said they want to "avoid a contagion situation" and want to guarantee that business continues.

Hugo Hernández-Ojeda, head of the labor and employment practice of Hogan Lovells in Mexico City, said he is busy educating clients about their legal obligations should Mexican authorities declare a health contingency. Hogan Lovells, like many global law firms, said it is consistently reviewing its guidance on travel and adopting flexible work arrangements where advisable.

Mexico has not been screening inbound travelers for symptoms, and experts question whether its still-low confirmed and suspected caseloads suggest that not enough tests are being performed.

U.S.-based firms accounted for about half the $5 billion in foreign direct investment that Mexico received last year. Mexico is also a key link in global supply chains that pass through the U.S., having surpassed China last year to become the U.S.'s top trade partner.

But the country of 120 million people just south of the U.S. border depends heavily on tourism, which accounts for close to 9% of gross domestic product. Mexico is also hesitant to discriminate after taking a big economic hit from lost travel during the H1N1 epidemic of 2009.

Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, a doctor and deputy minister for prevention at the Mexican Health Ministry, said during his nightly update on the coronavirus Wednesday that Mexico "has not restricted access to any national." And he described any decision to close all ports of entry—by land, sea or air—as "sending a terrible signal to international tourism." He said such bans signal that visitors should avoid the country because it is a site of risk. "That carries spectacular economic losses," he said.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic Wednesday as worldwide cases topped 120,000 and deaths exceeded 4,300. As of Wednesday evening, Mexico reported 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 49 suspected cases.

In Brazil, Latin America's biggest economy, the Health Ministry has reported at least 52 confirmed cases of the virus. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's communication chief, who visited Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's Florida resort, a few days ago and was in close proximity to the president and to Vice President Mike Pence, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Elsewhere in Latin America, Peru said Wednesday it would quarantine for two weeks individuals arriving in the country from China and Europe, and would delay the start of classes until the end of March. Peru has at least 17 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.

Guatemala will block citizens from China, Europe, Iran and South Korea from entering the country starting Thursday. El Salvador announced a nationwide quarantine, refusing entry to all foreigners except permanent residents and diplomats. No confirmed cases have been reported in El Salvador or Guatemala.

The Honduran government suspended deportation flights from Mexico on Tuesday, citing coronavirus fears and a lack of public health capacity to treat infections in Honduras. Most deportations from Mexico are by bus.