More Details Emerge on Strange Case of COVID-19 Infection in Cayo
Tonight Health Officials are baffled and continue to investigate the case of a man in his early fifties who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The case was detected at the San Ignacio Community Hospital after the individual visited the hospital over the weekend with gastrointestinal symptoms and a loss of sense of taste and smell. Earlier in the week, health officials were trying to determine the origin of his infection, and tonight, we can confirm that officials are investigating whether he traveled across the border illegally or came in contact with someone in the north who traveled across the border. So, this Cayo resident who tested positive for COVID-19 is being linked to the northern part of the country with a possible border jumping situation involved. Cayo is a long way from Corozal and requires traveling, so there is a concern for a possible community spread. Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero says contact tracing has commenced but at the moment there isn’t a sign of a community spread.
On the Phone: Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services
“We are, I believe, close to completing that investigation because there does seem to be a link for him having travelled or been in contact with people who travelled outside of Belize. I don’t want to venture in all the details because I don’t have that. But all the contacts for the person have been swabbed and some of those samples are being processed today. Those results should come out any time soon.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Are you expecting any new cases?”
On the Phone: Dr. Marvin Manzanero
On the Phone: Dr. Marvin Manzanero
“Well our mapping exercise for Blue Creek and San Felipe was completed. I know that some of those samples were processed yesterday. The rest of those samples should be completed today. We didn’t get positive yesterday. If we don’t get any positive on the samples based on the north I pretty much will be able to say that is going to be cluster a cases linked to outside. In terms of the gentlemen, we have swabbed his contacts to see if there is any risks there. If we are able to ascertain that he in point of fact was or was in contact with somebody who was across the border then we may be able to trace it to a specific person.”
Hipolito Novelo
“However that case in Cayo, can we say that it may likely be a community spread?”
On the Phone: Dr. Marvin Manzanero
“No, that is what I am saying. The preliminary data that we now have is suggesting that there was linked to people from the north who either travelled across or he may have travelled across. We are close to completing that investigation and establishing the direct link. From the preliminary data that has been shared with us it would seem that there is a link as I have said to the north with a possible border jumping situation involved.”
Hipolito Novelo
“You spoke about travelling, did any of these persons travelled by bus or private vehicle?”
On the Phone: Dr. Marvin Manzanero
“We don’t have the details as to whom exactly was or who are the persons travelled. We are doing that investigation.”
