IMSS Reports 54 Hospitalizations During World Cup Festivities, Including Three Foreign Nationals

The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) reported that its medical network, prepared for the World Cup, hospitalized 54 individuals between June 2 and June 30. Among those requiring hospitalization, 10 were not beneficiaries of the institute, and three were foreign nationals from Taiwan, the United States, and Morocco.

To manage potential medical needs during the tournament, IMSS established a Central Command post on June 2. This command center coordinated care through 253 medical units, focusing on the three host cities. Institute Director Zoé Robledo Aburto stated that the health sector prepared with risk management strategies to address potential increases in demand for care, particularly in emergency services.

The institute also implemented a triage system for each World Cup match in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey to assess risks and generate daily reports on adverse events. Dr. Janett Alvarado González, IMSS's coordinator of Special Projects in Health, explained an operational alert system with four levels, ranging from normal operations to a red alert for mass casualties or critical emergencies, ensuring the necessary deployment of institutional resources, personnel, and infrastructure.

The Central Command operated from the IMSS Virtual Center for Operations in Emergencies and Disasters (CVOED). This center is designed to receive, integrate, analyze, and process real-time information from medical units during crises, emergencies, and disasters, serving as a key component for timely public care during the World Cup.