Director of Health Services Talks Dengue

Dengue is another disease that has been affecting other countries in the region. The good news is that in Belize, there has not been high mortality relating to the epidemic and the number of cases has decreased due to vector control measures put in place. Doctor Manzanero notes, however, that the west has seen an increase in new cases.

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services

“We’re tabulating final data for 2015. It doesn’t seem we have higher numbers. I believe only one country and I believe it’s Cayo district that has a higher number than other areas. So again, once you do your annual report, you go back and strategize how you are going to do that. I can almost tell you that now we know why we have an increase because sometimes you decrease your spraying because you want to curtail epidemics somewhere else. That could be part of the reason. But we are also looking at it in the context of trying to use technologies and now using GPS tracking to map the cases where they are coming from and also using the spraying schedule along those GOPS tracking situations that we have.”

Marvin Manzanero

Duane Moody

“But overall, there hasn’t been an increase of dengue cases in Belize?”

Dr. Marvin Manzanero

“There hasn’t…there wasn’t for 2015 and in malaria also, we decreased and we are expecting to decrease this year again in 2016.”