It was the talk of Belize today: a variant of COVID has been detected. The sample is at a facility overseas to determine just which variant it is. At this time, however, the suspicion is that it is the Delta variant , but we will only know for sure once the results are back. So […]
And with variants being highly transmissible they can hit under-resourced and understaffed health systems very hard. And if the Delta is in Belize, it can mean a lot of pressure for Belize’s health sector. We put that to the Minister of Health, but he claims they are ready. Andrea Polanco “If it is Delta […]
COVID-19 cases have been steadily increasing over the last several days. Today alone, twenty-four new cases were confirmed which puts the total active cases over two hundred and fifty. Today, prior to the release of the daily COVID-19 data, Minister Michel Chebat shared his concern over the growing number of cases. Michel Chebat, Minister […]
New COVID-19 measures will come into effect on Sunday, July fourth. The new measures are being implemented in light of the increase in COVID-cases. Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa outlines the new regulations. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs “The curfew will continue in place; so there will be an extension of the […]
Vaccines are now available for persons who are eighteen years and older. As you know, since the vaccine rollout began back in March, the government took a phased approach for different groups due to vaccine availability and priority for essential and vulnerable groups. But since they have acquired vaccines from several countries and COVAX, the […]
Should Belizeans be required to take the vaccine? It’s a divisive issue, but now the government says that they are approaching it in a different way where those who don’t take the vaccines must show a negative COVID test every two weeks. Today Minister of Home Affairs spoke on this new initiative while Prime Minister […]
COVID-19 vaccine uptake is the lowest among security forces. According to Minister Chebat, to date over twenty-nine thousand Belizeans have been fully vaccinated and the ministry expects that number to double over the next two months. Vaccine uptake among frontline workers is above seventy percent on average, except for the police force, B.D.F. officers and […]
With less than thirty thousand Belizeans fully vaccinated, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has stepped up its vaccination efforts today, launching a vaccine campaign under the slogan “Before You Relax, Get Vax!” It’s a multimedia campaign underpinned by an educational awareness component to encourage Belizeans to get vaccinated. Today, the vaccine drive was launched […]
As the COVID-19 vaccination drive continues countrywide, one of the recurring questions is: should those who are fully vaccinated have to continue living with all of the restrictions being imposed by the Government of Belize? It’s a growing topic of debate. Today, News Five’s Paul Lopez explored the different perspective and even surveyed our viewers […]
Doctor Cuellar noted that while the vaccination adds a layer of protection that can prevent serious illness and even death, it does not stop people from catching the virus. Still, those who are not vaccinated are more likely to end up in the hospital or I.C.U. unit. Dr. Fernando Cuellar, Internist, Belize Medical Associates […]
As the number of active COVID-19 cases continues to rise at a rapid rate, there are suspicions that a new and more transmissible variant of the virus may already be spreading across the country. That is yet to be proven, and Doctor Cuellar says he hopes that the Ministry of Health and Wellness do the […]
A dozen immigration officers attached to the Philip Goldson International Airport are in quarantine tonight after they tested positive over the weekend. In a press release issued late this evening, the Ministry of Immigration says that its entire staff at the P.G.I.A. is in isolation following the positive cases among the team. To continue uninterrupted […]
There are reports of a COVID-19 cluster and possible community spread in Midway Village in the Toledo District. Information is that so far more than twenty positive cases were confirmed two days ago. Today, News Five’s Andrea Polanco spoke with Chairman Marco Ico via phone for an update. He says a vaccination team detected symptoms […]
To get an official update, this evening Minister of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat spoke with the press via zoom about that developing possible spread of COVID-19 in Midway Village in Toledo. Chebat says that the number of confirmed cases in that southern community stands at twenty-five and that the person who was detected last […]
So, as you just heard, Minister Michel Chebat says that the cases were detected not just among family members but among other villagers. One of the concerns at this time is the use of public buses to move through the villages. So with twenty-five cases in that community, does this classify as community spread? That’s […]
A family from the Pomona Valley is asking for the public’s help to get treatment for their infant. Nine-month-old Jayden Nicholas Chacon has been diagnosed with a condition known as hemangiomas. The child’s mother began noticing a change in the child’s face at four months old. Over the past five months, the benign tumor has […]
The family and friends of Lucinda Montejo earlier today made an appeal for blood donation and the good news tonight is that the family has received more than the amount they requested. Montejo and her daughter, Kaylen were travelling on the George Price Highway when the SUV they were travelling in collided with a tourist […]
Did the Government of Belize award a contract to do COVID-19 testing at the ports of entry to a business owned by a relative of Minister of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat? Not so – according to Chebat. Today, he distanced himself from that business, saying that he has no familial ties to the owners. […]
The Belize Police Department says that it’s cracking down on social events to curb the growing number of COVID-19 cases. On Wednesday, there were twenty-four newly confirmed cases which bring the total active cases to one hundred and fifty-three. In its press release, the Belize Police Department warned the public that there will be, “stricter […]
The Minister of Health and Wellness says he wants teachers vaccinated. As you’ve seen over the last few weeks, several cases of COVID-19 were detected in different schools and the Ministry of Education later called for an end to face-to-face teaching for this school term. And when it comes to vaccinations, there are still hundreds […]
And while the new school year is set to commence in September, there are mounting COVID-19 concerns. What’s on the horizon is the return of cruise ships. A little over two weeks from now, Belize is set to reopen its cruise ports. But if the public has any serious concerns, the Minister of Health and […]
Since the rollout of vaccines back in March, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has been appealing for Belizeans to go in and take the vaccine. But it has been a long and slow process. In its daily vaccination report on Wednesday, the ministry reported that a total of twenty-six thousand and seventeen persons have […]
The U.S. has committed four billion dollar to the COVAX facility for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries. Additionally, two weeks ago President Biden and other leaders committed half a billion vaccines to be distributed. Belize is on that list. While Gilges could not tell us how much vaccines Belize will receive, when […]
And, as Belize continues to receive commitment for vaccine donations, has the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ failed in convincing the masses of the importance of taking the COVID-19 vaccine, especially in the Toledo District? With less than twenty percent of the Ministry’s target population vaccinated, there are those who are of the opinion that […]
And while those are the minister’s response, is the low vaccine uptake in Belize a concern for U.S. travelers? North American tourists constitute a large percentage of Belize’s tourism revenue. Do they feel safe traveling to Belize currently? Here is how the Chargé d’Affaires responded? Paul Lopez “Is it of any concern to the […]
