Belize crossed a grim threshold yesterday when it reported a record number of positive COVID tests and COVID deaths.
There were 121 new cases confirmed and 4 deaths in, 2 males and 2 females.
The deaths include a man in his 40's with underlying medical conditions who died at the Northern Regional Hospital after being hospitalized for approximately 12 hrs. The second man was in his 70s and also had underlying conditions, he died at a private facility in Belize City. One woman died at KHMH's COVID-19 unit, she had been referred there from the Northern Regional Hospital. The second woman was swabbed post mortem as she died outside of the hospital but was a close contact of a confirmed case.
And, there have been tow more deaths today - both from the north - though full details are not yet available.
It's a mounting death toll, and today in a virtual press conference, the Director of Health Services discussed the worrying trajectory that is heading to a red zone:
Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services
"4 is the maximum number we are ever documented in 24 hours, the last cases being 2 females and 2 males; one male died at a private facility in Belize City; one of the females died at Karl Huesner and the other person had been brought in as a sudden death in Belize City closely link to a previously confirm case. We had a suspicion of that and the other male is somebody from Guinea Grass who died at the northern regional hospital with chronic conditions described. I am being alerted before I came here that there is another sudden death in Corozal, also a male in his 40s with apparent pre-disposing conditions and an alcohol problem as well."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Is it not foreseeable that with elections, with the normal flu season we could be in the red zone by end of this month early next month."
Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services
"The way it is going right now, we are taking things on a one on one basis. We could be in a red zone before elections, if we are not there."
