"The possible flow of coronavirus would come from the north to the south. If it were technically necessary, we would consider mechanisms of restriction or stronger surveillance," Lopez-Gatell told reporters on Thursday.

The lack of test kits in Mexico and the US have made it difficult to get an accurate reading of community spreading in both countries. So far, Mexico has confirmed 16 cases and no deaths. The US has 2,174 cases and 47 deaths. 

The World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic last week, which has rapidly spread to more than 147,000 people from Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and now to the Americas. The virus has transformed the usual US-Mexico border dispute into another crisis, not because of migrants and drugs, but rather the fear of virus transmission.