Central Medical Lab Swamped with COVID-19 Tests

Marvin Manzanero

A large number of COVID-19 tests are being conducted in recent weeks and since last week, there has been a delay in the processing of samples at the Belize Central Medical Lab. Doctor Manzanero says that there was a backlog of a few hundred swabs to be processed. He notes that just today alone, they have recorded over four hundred and twenty samples, which are to be processed.

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services

“For the last week, we are having a delay in terms of the amount of tests that are being processed at Central Medical Lab so much so that on Sunday – Monday, we had close to one thousand swabs that were still pending. So, I know that there are some level of delay that people are a little bit you know – it wasn’t three days, it has gone to five days and in some instances it has gone to seven days, especially if it is coming from a rural area because by the time the swab gets to Belize City there is a further delay of the processing of those samples. However, the lab has been trying to work twenty-four-seven this week to try to catch up with all those samples. I am already getting a preliminary note from the lab director that they will be processing a record number of tests today and I know up to yesterday they had six hundred, almost up to seven hundred samples to be processed.”