Cayo & Orange Walk Districts Recording Highest Cases of Dengue

As of this past Saturday, July fifteenth, the data for 2023 is showing the Orange Walk and Cayo Districts recording the highest number of lab confirmed and clinical cases of dengue; these figures are two hundred and twenty-three and three hundred and twenty-seven, respectively. Ironically, Belize District, which has ordinarily recorded highest numbers, is next to the lowest with only ninety-seven total cases. Vector Control Chief of Operations Kim Bautista explains what is responsible for this shift.

Kim Bautista

Kim Bautista, Chief of Operations, Vector Control Unit, MOHW

“We are seeing an increase in dengue cases, but not in the traditional areas like Belize City. We are seeing an increase in cases in the Orange Walk and Cayo District. Also in the Corozal District; over the past couple weeks, we saw a little bit of an increase, but for the most part, with the increase in the rains, we did see a little spike. But before that, we were seeing an increase in cases regardless. People were storing a lot of water; you have a lot of other breathing sites like tire shops, the coconut water industry is really taking off. We had a cleanup campaign this weekend. We removed hundreds and hundreds of improperly disposed coconut shells in some people’s yards in the north. It’s just been a challenging year in that regard. So even though we weren’t seeing a lot of rains for the first half of the year, we were still seeing a lot of cases in certain areas, especially in some rural communities as well.”