Mexican health ministry registers 1,890 coronavirus cases, 79 deaths

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The Mexican health ministry on Saturday registered 1,890 cases of the novel coronavirus in the country, an increase of 202 cases from a day earlier.

The number of deaths increased by 19 to 79.

"These people, unfortunately, had chronic diseases or were older," said Mexico's deputy health minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell of the people who died from the novel coronavirus.

Lopez-Gatell said Mexico is now paying the consequences for decades of poor eating habits that have led to high levels of obesity and health complications.

(Reporting by Stefanie Eschenbacher and Adriana Barrera; Editing by David Gregorio)