Director of Health Services Dr. Manzanero Tests Positive for COVID-19

The leading epidemiologist and the man who was put in charge of Belize’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic announced this afternoon that he is positive for the virus. Director of Health Services Doctor Marvin Manzanero announced his COVID-19 positive status on his Facebook profile saying, “For those who work closely, they would note that I am very meticulous and careful about physical distancing and enforcing mask-wearing at all times- double mask lately. Therefore, I can’t really say what happened but beyond being on the ground around flu clinics areas in Corozal a couple of weeks and having had short 1 on 1 meetings with M.O.H. staff (with all precautions taken) over last couple of weeks, not really unaware of any real exposure beyond that.”  Doctor Manzanero says that he started with minor symptoms such as throat itchiness on Friday.  He says he has not been swabbed for COVID until he was tested on Monday and the result returned positive via a rapid antigen test. Manzanero reiterates what he has been stressing for months now, that the public cannot let its guard down and that masks must be worn. He says that it may get to the point where the person who works outside from home may need to start wearing a mask at home too.