Since early this morning, a plume of the Saharan dust spread across the country. The intense dust storm started in the Saharan Desert in West Africa and began travelling across the Atlantic Ocean since last week and is making its way to the U.S. Forecasters say it is worst large scale dust storm to be […]
Turning to COVID-19, the countrywide state of emergency expires next Tuesday and the weeklong countdown to the lifting of all remaining measures, including the end of the nightly curfew, has already began. Cabinet met this morning and out of that meeting comes a fresh mandate for Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero, who is […]
The Central Medical Lab is currently processing a number of samples from persons who returned to the country in the past couple days. Among those samples are four persons who were screened with fever at the P.G.I.A. when they returned to the country last Friday. But while we await those results, on Monday, the latest […]
Doctor Marvin Manzanero shared that the chances of more COVID-19 positive repatriates is likely considering that more people are returning home. But the Ministry of Health is not worried about these repatriates because there is a system in place that screens and tests them before they are placed in quarantine. Belize’s concerns, however, are the […]
One of the major reasons why border jumpers are a concern for the ministry is because they are coming from neighbouring countries where COVID-19 cases are on the rise. The numbers in Guatemala and Mexico have been increasing in the last few days – and those neighbouring municipalities are a growing concern. Doctor Marvin Manzanero […]
Doctor Marvin Manzanero is keeping a close eye on the developing COVID-19. The cases in Mexico are increasing every day and it is reported that a mother there transmitted the virus to her triplets. The triplets were born on May eighth to a woman, who was also positive, but asymptomatic. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director […]
As border jumpers present a real threat to the health system, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority Workers Union is engaged in discussions with the hospital’s C.E.O. and management regarding cost-cutting measures. One of those measures involves the termination of professional contracts. In May, the K.H.M.H.A. cut ties with Ophthalmologist, Doctor Amin Hegar. Last week, […]
The process of finalizing the sale of Scotiabank Belize to Caribbean Investment Holdings is several months away, as the Central Bank, as regulator of the financial sector, does it does its due diligence. Following the announcements by the two parties on Monday, the governor of the Central Bank, Joy Grant, provided assurances that the interest […]
In a recorded statement issued by the Central Bank of Belize on Monday, Governor Joy Grant stated that a detail and thorough assessment of the sale of Scotiabank to C.I.H.L. is being undertaken to ensure that all regulations are being complied with. Joy Grant, Governor, Central Bank “As the regulator, the Central Bank has […]
The Belize Teaching Service Commission has approved the suspension with half pay and demotion in rank of former Excelsior Principal Dawn Watters. Earlier this year, Watters was found guilty of misappropriating funds and theft at the high school. She has also been sanctioned for bringing the teaching profession into disrepute. News Five is in receipt […]
A man, who was facing a charge of murder, saw that charge reduced to manslaughter when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Viewers will recall the report we aired last November when handyman, forty-nine-year-old Edwin Usher was brutally beaten during an altercation with another man at the corner of Johnson and Vernon Streets […]
Police have arrested Guatemalan national Esau Ramirez Lopez who was on the run since last Friday. Ramirez Lopez is accused of stabbing his former common-law-wife, Rebecca Munoz and her two children in the village of San Jose, Orange Walk District. The incident happened on June nineteenth at Munoz’s house. The accused is now in police […]
Back to today’s Ask the Expert’s Webcast…while not enough is known about the vertical transmission as yet, what health officials do know is that there is no treatment for COVID-19 on the market. While there were reports of exploring a steroid for treatment of potential cases that hasn’t materialized. And another point that medical professionals […]
As you’ve been hearing in recent positive cases in Belize, they have been identified as asymptomatic. Today, Doctor Marvin Manzanero highlighted what this means – essentially these positive persons may not be showing any obvious signs of illness but they can still spread the virus. Here’s how he explains it. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director […]
A rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases reported in neighbouring Mexico and Guatemala has placed Belize on edge since it shares borders with both countries. Despite all border points remaining closed during the state of emergency, it is anticipated that the Philip Goldson International Airport may very well reopen before our borders. That’s […]
The Central Health Region is the unit of the Ministry of Health responsible for the on the ground logistics for those repatriated persons who are swabbed when they arrive at the Philip Goldson International Airport and then placed in mandatory quarantine. As you know, Belize recorded a twenty-third case of COVID-19; it is a woman […]
The private sector continues to bring pressure to bear on government in respect of a comprehensive economic recovery plan amid the COVID-19 crisis. The resulting financial crisis has forced the closure of many small and medium businesses and there doesn’t seem to be a strategy in place for economic rebound. It is a concern that […]
Two very young enterprising children have turned the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity to start a business. One is eight years old and the other is five; they came up with the idea to make ideals of all different flavours to supply their neighbourhood on Amara Avenue in Belize City. They started when schools closed […]
An initial group of ten small business owners were hosted today and will be engaged in three days of training at City Hall in Belize City. Dubbed the Accelerator Program Training Session, the Local Economic Development Department of the Belize City Council is working with a total of twenty participants who will learn about the […]
In the fight against the novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Health has received further assistance from the private sector. UNICOMER Belize, in collaboration with one of its product suppliers, has made available aeroboxes which are used to minimize exposure between a healthcare provider and a COVID-19 patient. The equipment will be distributed to hospitals across […]
Today, a funeral and memorial service took place to celebrate the life of Hubert Pipersburgh. This afternoon, at the Sacred Heart Church in San Ignacio, Cayo, family and friends gathered to officially say their goodbyes to the Pipersburgh who was the first of two persons to succumb in Belize, to complications associated with deadly COVID-19. […]
