Because of the prevailing circumstances and to comply with social distancing and with the protocol for the number of persons allowed at gatherings, our usual segment, Sports Monday, has been suspended until the situation normalizes. In the days to come we will also adjusting the way we do things here but we will get you, […]
As the weekend gets underway, there are zero cases of coronavirus detected within our borders but new measures are being put in place beginning this Saturday. The Oversight Committee on COVID -9 met today and coming out of that high level meeting a number of decisions were taken to minimize any risk of the virus. […]
Tourism industries across the world continue to crumble due to the devastating effects of COVID-19. While Belize remains without a confirmed case, the tourism industry here is still feeling the fallout. There are significant cut backs in employees, and losses are in the millions of dollars. With the closure of the Philip Goldson International Airport […]
Tens of thousands of persons rely on the tourism industry and with COVID-19 negatively affecting the industry many businesses are left to lay off employees. Hotels across the country are empty and employees are left wondering what will happen to their employment. It is some that in some cases, employees are being sent home and […]
According to Tejada, the Belize Hotel Association is working with the COVID-19 National Oversight Committee to mitigate the effects of the deadly disease. A survey is being carried out and the data collected will be passed to the government which in turn will provide assistance to hoteliers. Ted Tejada, President, Belize Hotels Association “They have […]
The first case of coronavirus is yet to be confirmed in Belize and while many are hunkering down in fear of contracting the illness once it makes landfall, stakeholders in the tourism industry are suffering massive losses due to the cancellation of cruise visits. This morning, the Federation of Cruise Tourism Associations of Belize, FECTAB, […]
FECTAB’s demand for equity in the distribution of tourism relief is in the interest of small and independent tour operators who they say are constantly overlooked by government and industry regulators. While there are requirements to access financial assistance, representatives of the federation are adamant that the monies should not be disbursed by those persons […]
While some cases of the novel coronavirus are mild, there are some underlying conditions which make people more likely to catch it or suffer a more severe infection. The high risk group includes the elderly, as well as those with weakened immune systems. We also note that another vulnerable group to COVID-19 ranges from those with asthma […]
Tonight we bring you more information on how to prepare and protect yourself in light of the novel corona virus. Earlier this week we spoke with critical care doctor and internist Doctor Jorge Hidalgo who shared his knowledge about the disease. He tells us more about what you can do if you use public transportation […]
The Ministry of Health has been preparing for COVID-19 since January of this year when the first cases were being reported in China. It has acquired additional testing kits and has ramped up testing. So what happens when a case is identified in Belize? It all depends on where the case is determined. That person […]
In respect of the Central Health Region, several institutions have been identified and will be equipped and converted for various levels of care that will be needed in the event of a large number of COVID-19 cases. Melinda Guerra, Manager, Central Health Region “What we are going to be doing is to support Karl Heusner, given the […]
During Thursday’s Ask the Experts session, Director of Health Services Doctor Marvin Manzanero also shared that new screening points are now in place around the country. He says that they have been preparing to identify and isolate patients who test positive for the virus. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services “We are preparing […]
Earlier today, word spread like wildfire that Guatemalan nationals were traversing Belize from the Philip Goldson International Airport to the western border and that their transit through the country was facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While it may have been true that they were traveling cross country to enter Guatemala from Melchor, the […]
According to Elrington, a statutory instrument would have to be instituted in order to effect a travel ban for passengers entering the country via the P.G.I.A. In that case, he says, all travelers would be barred from arriving in Belize, no matter their country of origin. Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs “Unless […]
As you may know by now, Nicaragua and El Salvador recorded their first cases of the novel coronavirus late Wednesday evening. As it stands now, Belize is the only country in the mainland Americas where there is not yet a confirmed case. And today, during the Ministry of Health’s third episode of the ‘Ask The […]
Estrada also spoke on the official and legal border points. She notes that only two ports of entry remain open for Belize, those are the Philip Goldson International Airport and the northern border. Estrada says the ban on persons coming from China, Iran, South Korea, Japan and all of Europe, as well as the United […]
On the issue of visitors and entry points, Director of Health Services Doctor Marvin Manzanero says that traffic through the P.G.I.A. is already significantly reduced and expected to dwindle further. He says that multiple airlines are suspending service to the country and more may follow. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services “I just […]
At the top of the newscast, we told you about the measures that the Department of Immigration is taking to prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus via the Ministry of Health’s live webcast called ‘Ask the Experts.’ And while surveillance is being beefed up at our border points, the Ministry of Health is ramping up […]
During the sessions, health officials also spoke about the issue of self-isolation. Manzanero appealed to the persons who have been asked to go into self-isolation to take it seriously. Kathleen Azueta-Cho of HECOPAB outlines steps that you should know in the event you are to self-quarantine. Kathleen Azueta-Cho, Technical Advisor, HECOPAB “One of the […]
During the live question and answer webcast, Director of Health Services was asked about vulnerable groups to the novel coronavirus. These are sections of the population that are more susceptible to the serious symptoms of the virus. Doctor Manzanero explains that while researchers and health officials have seen that trend, there are some countries that […]
Even as Belize remains free of a laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19, the entire country is bracing for the inevitability. There is already an economic downturn in the tourism sector, one of the biggest revenue generators. Tour operators have shut down and many businesses and hotels are closing their doors. The B.T.B., we are told, […]
National Hand Washing Day was celebrated today; to mark the occasion hand washing stations were set up across the country where residents were exposed to proper techniques to keep your hands free of germs and bacteria and even viruses. In Belize City, three schools were visited by the Ministry of Education where the children practiced […]
As the only country in Central America with no confirmed cases of COVID-19, Belize remains on high alert for suspected cases of the new virus. Tonight in Healthy Living, we look at some of the symptoms that are associated with the virus and what you should be on the lookout for. Marleni Cuellar, Reporting As […]
Belize’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism so that the looming COVID-19 is presenting major shocks to the industry. The Philip Goldson International Airport remains open, but the number of flights and passengers are dwindling. Hotel cancellations are fast and furious and cruise ships are not calling on port. Businesses all over are scaling down […]
Health officials have warned that it is not a matter of if; it is a matter of when the novel coronavirus gets here. The government has introduced some preventative and containment measures for the country. While Belize remains one of three countries in the region where there are no confirmed cases, some one hundred and […]
