MEXICO CITY, Mexico - Mexico has recorded more coronavirus-related deaths than the UK, and as the figure rose above 47,000 on Saturday, the country now has the world's third highest death tally.

The federal Health Ministry reported a new single-day record of 8,458 confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday as well as 688 coronavirus-related fatalities.

At the time of writing, according to the John Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, Mexico now attributes 47,472 deaths to the coronavirus disease Covid-19. This is ahead of the UK's 46,278.

The number of registered cases in Mexico is now 434,193.

With the number of cases hitting new daily-record highs, the disease is far from being under control.

Government officials who have been reluctant to wear masks, despite calls by health experts to set an example, appear to be having a change of heart.

On Friday night at the regular nightly press briefing in Puebla, all officials were wearing masks for the first time.

President Lpez Obrador however, according to Mexico News Daily, appears unlikely to take up the call, vowing Friday that he won't wear one until the country is free of corruption.

Meantime 9 state governors on Friday demanded the federal government's coronavirus czar, Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lpez-Gatell, resign.

The Federalist Alliance which is an organization the state governors are a part of published an open letter which, among other things alleges Lopez-Gatell's failure to endorse the wearing of masks, saying that failure has cost tens of thousands of lives.

"More than 35,000 people had to die for Lpez-Gatell to half-heartedly accept their usefulness," the letter said.

"That generated confusion among the population," the governors wrote.

(Photo credit: Reuters | Jose Luis Gonzalez).