MOH’s National Surveillance Team Activated to Monitor Coronavirus Outbreak

There’s a virus linked to respiratory tract infections that has killed several persons and sickened hundreds more. The new strain of the coronavirus was first detected in China. Today, the second case of the virus was detected in the U.S.A., after the first case was confirmed earlier this week.  There are no known cases in the Caribbean or Central American regions and health officials are monitoring the developments.  Locally, the Belize’s National Surveillance Team has been activated and on Thursday, the team, led by Director of Health Services Doctor Marvin Manzanero, participated in a virtual meeting hosted by the Caribbean Public Health Authority to discuss the Novel Coronavirus Outbreak. CARPHA says that at this time, the risk of transmission to the Caribbean is low, based on what they know about the virus. And while there are no known cases in this region, the outbreak is new and situations can change drastically on a day-by-day basis.  The Ministry of Health says that the sickness resembles pneumonia with most patients experiencing a fever and severe non-productive cough, while some have difficulty breathing.  The public is advised to wash hands with soap and clean running water before and after eating, when using the bathroom and before preparing food.