Contact Tracing in the Belize and Northern Districts are Ongoing

Marvin Manzanero

So while further results are expected, there is presently a total lockdown in the Mennonite community of Shipyard, in Orange Walk District where twelve cases have been recorded from a single family.  Santa Marta, also in the north, has eight cases and the case in Stann Creek is believed to be related.  In Belize City, as we’ve mentioned, there is the case of Vanessa Gladden.  Contact tracing for these new cases are ongoing and, according to DHS Manzanero, are dependent on the results.

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services

“In Shipyard, we have a cluster that on Friday or Saturday of, I believe, twelve but they are all one single family.  So even when you look at the numbers in Orange Walk, you have one big cluster of twelve.  The Santa Marta cluster has about eight now and three of those may be out of Santa Marta.  The case in Stann Creek District that we reported is related is a family of the initial cluster identified in Santa Marta.  So the mapping of those particular cases is pretty much concluded.  The ones we are following right now are the ones in San Pedro who have left and that’s the concern because if you are on the island of San Pedro and you are from the construction site, it’s under lockdown, you shouldn’t be moving out.  In Belize City we identified at least three cases from the Friday batch and those would be linked to San Pedro, one linked to Orange Walk but contact tracing yesterday, today and the early part of this week can also give you a general sense of where we are going.  Concerns are also of police officers, yesterday you heard of a teacher and six health personnel that have turned out positive as well.”