Mexico City registered 2,664 more deaths than usual earlier this month as authorities fought to contain the spread of Covid-19 that has strained hospitals and forced the city into a semi-lockdown, Reuters reported.

The populous capital’s “excess mortality” from Dec 1 to Dec 12 — deaths above the typical number from prior years — averaged 214 a day, a government report said. That is compared to 141 excess deaths a day in November.

The rate peaked in May when Mexico City, with a population of some nine million, recorded 320 excess deaths per day.