In a press release on Saturday, the Office of the Director of Health Services reported that a total of 186 frontline workers have tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since the pandemic commenced in Belize.
The report states that, “This is what we have in our official data base up until two days ago. Do note that this is contingent on how persons report themselves when seeking services and this doesn’t mean all these cases are active as these are from when the pandemic numbers started for Belize.”
n Belize, there are 2,427 positive cases with 37.3% of the cases being active. The case fatality rate now stands at 1.44%.
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital has 10 patients in the COVID-19 unit of which 3 of them are on ventilator, the Office of the Director of Health Services reported. The Northern Regional Hospital has 9 patients and the Corozal Community Hospital has 5 patients.
The number of hospitalized patients is expected to increase due to the exponential increase of the virus in the country.
Belize will have their general election on November 11, 2020. The Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams issued a warning to political parties and campaigners regarding the COVID-19 regulations in place.
Commissioner Williams stated that campaigners are not adhering to the social distancing and the mandatory mask requirements from what he has seen on the ground. “It will not be business as usual” in the way political parties and campaigners go about the election,” the Commissioner said. He further stated that the police force will be working with the Elections and Boundaries Commission to see how they can “put in place the protocols that we would like to see the political parties follow, on Nominations Day as well as Election Day”. Large crowds and campaigning in lines will not be allowed. Williams further said that, “we do not want the election to be a super spreader and we will put things in place to ensure that social distancing is maintained.”
Meanwhile, the Office of the Director of Health Services reminded residents to take a community approach in adhering to the prevention measures to reverse the increasing trend in number of cases.
