135 Inmates & 6 Staff Have Tested Positive for COVID-19 at Belize Central Prison

Turning to the prison where the virus has also spread….on Thursday, the news broke that ninety inmates tested positive for COVID-19. Rapid tests were done at the Belize Central Prison where staff and inmates were tested. Today we spoke with C.E.O. of the Kolbe Foundation Virgilio Murillo who says that ninety-seven percent of those afflicted with COVID-19 at the prison are asymptomatic. In total, one hundred and thirty-five inmates have contracted the virus and nineteen have recovered. Here’s more from Murillo on the spread of the virus and the latest numbers coming out of the prison.

Virgilio Murillo

Virgilio Murillo, C.E.O., Kolbe Foundation

“To date, we have done six hundred tests since the first case came about on September thirtieth thereabouts and that would be translate to almost fifty percent of both the inmate population and the staff combined. A hundred and five staff members were tested which came up to six positive cases which is a mere seven percent when compared to all staff having tested. Four hundred and ninety-five inmates have been tested and we came up with one hundred and thirty-five positive cases and ninety-seven percent of those cases are what we would classify as asymptomatic. So, this is our predicament that we are in right now.  What we are seeing in the prison today is certainly a by-product of the community spread in Belize because where it exists in the community, it is very difficult to keep it out of crowded facilities such as a prison. I can tell you too as I look at my number, whatever we are seeing is proportionate to the level of testing that is taking place right now. The Ministry of Health, I must applaud them for ramping up their testing for the prison population as well as the staff.”