Additional cases of COVID-19 are expected to be diagnosed in the days ahead, as contact tracing and testing are ongoing, so the next few days will be critical. An outbreak of the dreaded disease was recorded last week in parts of the country, including Guinea Grass, Santa Marta, Shipyard and San Pedro where states of […]
Following an outbreak in cases of the coronavirus, schools around the country were ordered to remain closed as a containment measure. So instead of being in the classrooms today, the students were at home. In a Belize City school, however, where preparations were underway for the scheduled reopening, a teacher tested positive for the virus. […]
So while further results are expected, there is presently a total lockdown in the Mennonite community of Shipyard, in Orange Walk District where twelve cases have been recorded from a single family. Santa Marta, also in the north, has eight cases and the case in Stann Creek is believed to be related. In Belize City, […]
On Saturday, the Belize Medical and Dental Association issued a statement regarding frontline health workers, who they claim were exposed to COVID-19 in the line of duty. DHS Manzanero has responded to the release and provided clarity on how those individuals contracted the virus, aside from stating that three of them are not employees of […]
In San Pedro, fourteen officers attached to the San Pedro Police Station are in isolation. Of those fourteen, five have tested positive for COVID-19; three of whom are on the island, while the other two are on the mainland. The remaining officers are exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Today, Officer in Command in San Pedro, Superintendent Chris […]
Six persons in the health system are confirmed as positive cases. Pharmacist Carlos Novelo, who also lives on San Pedro, has tested positive for COVID-19, and like teacher Vanessa Gladden, he has taken to social media to notify family, friends and the public of his coronavirus status. Novelo is also using this platform to raise […]
But even as Carlos Novelo pleas for the public to stay safe, a number of patients, who have tested positive, are complaining that their lives are being threatened. There is widespread cyber-bullying and a stigma against those who have tested positive when their identities are known. While those who have made public their status believe […]
The largest number of positive cases is in San Pedro due to a community spread. According to the Ministry of Health, the actual source of the current infections is unclear, but the ministry states that a number of cases are linked to the first cluster. The second cluster is related to Living Word Church in […]
Last week, the Director of Health Services discarded reports that a fishing tournament in San Pedro was a super spreader event for the virus. But the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Manuel Heredia Junior over the weekend spoke to Reef Radio on another matter weighing on the minds of many since the COVID-19 outbreak […]
The body of Julia Timotea Milian Moran was found inside a shallow grave over the weekend and police believe her killer was well-known to her. The mother of four, who is originally from Honduras, lived in the village of Santa Cruz and police have arrested Jorge Leon from the village of Steadfast, who was last […]
As COVID-19 cases go up in the country, economic activity continues to slow down and everywhere, businesses are struggling to stay afloat. The government has rolled out a plan to assist micro, small and medium enterprises, but across the sector, larger companies are also feeling the pain and some are already facing bankruptcy. A and […]
According to Urbina Junior, A and R Enterprises has seven branches across the country. The company employs over two hundred persons. If the country goes in another lockdown, A and R will be forced send home more employees and possibly close one or two of its branches. On the Phone: Rosendo Urbina Junior, Managing […]
Almost fifty thousand persons have applied for unemployment relief through the Government of Belize amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the second phase of the programme, workers who have been laid off as well as self-employed persons who have lost their jobs and means of income are eligible for assistance. According to Doctor Carla […]
Financial assistance being provided for micro, small and medium enterprises, through BELTRAIDE, another of government’s COVID-relief initiatives, hasn’t been without its snags. According to Doctor Leroy Almendarez, Executive Director of BELTRAIDE, there were several glitches initially with the system being used to process business relief applications. Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE “Initially what […]
Similarly, the Unemployment Relief Program, in its first phase, also ran into problems with the system being used. According to Doctor Carla Barnett, the biggest hiccup involved the inputting of information, including names and social security numbers, into the database correctly. Dr. Carla Barnett, Minister of State, Ministry of Labor “One of the biggest […]
There was a traffic fatality in Belize City on Saturday at midday. An elderly man was killed when a GSU vehicle ran over him on Morning Glory Street. Calvin Wright had fallen on the street and had not been able to get up when he was hit by a vehicle driven by PC Terrence Sutherland. […]
Also here in Belize City, after three o’clock this morning, Trevor Gill was chopped on his hands and head. Gill was in deep slumber at his nephew’s house on New Road when he came under attack from an intruder who made his way inside the house through an unlocked door. Gill was taken to the […]
Is the MS-13 gang marking its territory in Belmopan? The Belize Police Department doesn’t believe so. In recent weeks, the gang has been tagging buildings and public spaces in Belmopan. And the most recent happened over the weekend at the Belmopan Nazarene Church. But this time, the gang has also left behind some ammunition on […]
But what does the Pastor of Belmopan Nazarene Church think of this gang tags on his church? Well, that Pastor happens to be our media colleague Louis Wade of Plus TV. Today, Wade said that he doesn’t believe the tags or the bullets were targets launched at his church, but thinks those were strategically placed. […]
So, as you heard at the top of the news, five police officers attached to the San Pedro Police have tested positive for the COVID-19; but several others are also out of work, in isolation, after they started to experience flu-like symptoms. Superintendent Christopher Noble told the press today that they are checking on those […]
A robber targeted a small grocery store this weekend. Around ten on Sunday morning, Belmopan Police officers were called out to Taisan Shop where an armed thief held up the proprietor of the establishment. It is the second time, robbers have hit the store. ACP Joseph Myvett tells us more. ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, […]
In recent weeks, we have been reporting on a string of robberies across the country, including Belmopan. Today, police encouraged business owners to be vigilant and call the police if they observe suspicious persons around their property. ACP Joseph Myvett, Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch “We do encourage more businesses to be vigilant and […]
In the south, residents of San Marco Village are tonight upset and taking matters into their hands. Dozens of families have started to occupy lands along the Southern Highway, just outside of Punta Gorda. The residents say that they are tired of politicians sending surveyors to their community to survey the land for distribution. They […]
Villagers say that they will no longer tolerate neglect and call on the powers that be to give them what they say rightfully belongs to them. Resident, San Marcus Village “We won’t make other people from far come and take what is for us. This is for us. We are young people. We are […]
On Friday we told you about the University of Belize Faculty and Staff Union’s attempt to kick start negotiations with the UB’s Board of Trustees and President. The Union feels that they are not being welcomed to the table as the UB charts its way forward in light of a shortfall of seven million dollars […]
