News > Battling fear of hospitals, many Mexicans say, ‘I’d rather stay home and die’

Battling fear of hospitals, many Mexicans say, ‘I’d rather stay home and die’

Mexico is battling one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world, with more than 52,000 confirmed deaths. And its struggle has been made even harder by a pervasive phenomenon: a deeply rooted fear of hospitals.

As the pandemic crushes an already weak health care system, with bodies piling up in refrigerated trucks, many Mexicans see the COVID ward as a place where only death awaits — to be avoided at all costs.