COVID-19 pandemic in Belize

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Belize on 23 March 2020.

COVID-19 pandemic in Belize
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationBelize
First outbreakWuhan, China
Index caseSan Pedro Town
Arrival date23 March 2020
(3 months and 4 days)
Confirmed cases20[1] (2020-04-13)
Recovered16
Deaths
2[2]

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[3][4]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[5][6] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[7][5]

Belize has postponed its census to 2021 in order to divert census funding for national emergency funding.[8]

Timeline

March 2020

The country's first case was announced on 23 March, a Belizean woman who returned to San Pedro Town from Los Angeles, California.[9][10][11] The second case was announced on 25 March. They had immediate contact with the first case.[12]

The third case in Belize was announced on 29 March from a traveler returning from New York City to Belize City.[13]

April 2020

The 5th confirmed case of coronavirus was confirmed in a Belizean student who returned from Florida in the United States. At the time he was reported to be in self-isolation at a quarantine facility and had no symptoms.[14] By 13 April, the last of 18 initial domestic cases of the COVID-19 was reported in Belize. Of these, 2 people passed away (on 4 April and 10 April).[15]

May 2020

The last of the remaining 16 reported cases had recovered by 5 May.[16]

June 2020

On 5 June, a new case was reported. It was a male Belizean National who came home on a cruise ship with other fellow Belizeans. He was already under quarantine when the case was reported.

On 6 June or 7 June, a 22 year-old infected but asymptomatic female was caught entering the country illegally and was placed into the mandatory quarantine facility in Punta Gorda, along with her 2 travelling companions who were not infected.[17]

Prevention measures

In the light of the announcement of the first two cases of COVID-19 in Belize, Prime Minister Dean Barrow declared a State of Emergency for San Pedro on March 25, 2020[18]. Residents of Ambergris Caye were placed under mandatory quarantine. Onlу еssеntiаl wоrkеrs were аllоwеd to trаvеrsе the strееts. "Unаuthоrizеd vеssеls will be bаnnеd frоm lеаving оr аrriving on the islаnd,” а ѕtаtеmеnt frоm the Gоvеrnmеnt sаid. At the time the Ministry of Health announced it was tracing everyone that may have been in contact with the Belizean woman who tested positive for the COVID-19.[19]

Prime Minister Dean Barrow also closed schools on March 20 with tentative resumption on April 20th pending any changes in the situation. He banned public gathering of more than 25 people and he imposed border restrictions. All flights were grounded effective March 23. Only cargo would be able to cross the borders and docked by sea. Belizeans were still allowed to return to Belize but residents would not be allowed to leave the country unless it is an emergency.[20][21]

The Minister of health asked that anyone having flu-like symptoms stay home, self-isolate, and call the hotline at 0-800-MOH-CARE for further guidance.

On March 30, a state of emergency was announced across the country, as well as a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. from April 1 to April 30.[22][23]

Initially, Foreigners who had traveled to European countries, Hong Kong, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea in the past 30 days were not allowed to enter.[24] Belize closed its ports of entry except for the Santa Elena Border and Philip Goldson International Airport which remained open according to Belize's Ministry of Health.[25] Cargo vessels were allowed to use all ports of entry.

In early April, the government announced that borders would be closed to all travellers, including Belizean nationals except for emergency situations.[26][27]

The last of 18 initial domestic cases of the COVID-19 was reported in Belize on April 13. Of these, 2 people passed away (on April 4 and April 10) and the last of the remaining 12 were reported recovered by May 5th. [28] Through a series of statutory instruments #41 (March 26) to #65 & 66 (May 4), the state of emergency was modified a number of times and restrictions began to be eased.[29]

See also

References
  1. "Tracking the detection and history of COVID-19 cases in Belize". Breaking Belize News. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  2. "Belize records first Covid-19 death". Breaking Belize News. 5 April 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  3. Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  4. Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  5. "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  6. "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  7. "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  8. Technical Brief on the Implications of COVID-19 on Census (PDF). UNFPA. 2020.
  9. "Ministry of Health Announces First Case of COVID-19". Ministry of Health (Belize). 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  10. "Belize confirms first case of coronavirus, Cuban doctors arriving to help". Breaking Belize News. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  11. "First Covid-19 patient in Belize is San Pedro resident". Breaking Belize News. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  12. BBN Staff (25 March 2020). "Ministry of Health confirms 2nd covid-19 positive case; awaiting results of more tests". Breaking Belize News. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  13. BBN Staff (29 March 2020). "Minister of Health confirms third Covid-19 case is in Belize City and imported from New York". Breaking Belize News. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  14. "Fifth Case of COVID-19 Confirmed in Belize". Ambergris Today. 5 April 2020. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  15. "Coronavirus Statistics Belize". epidemic-stats.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  16. IBID
  17. Staff, B. B. N. (9 June 2020). "Belize confirms case #20 of COVID-19". Breaking Belize News-The Leading Online News Source of Belize. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  18. Parks, Rowland. "State of Emergency declared: San Pedro under COVID-19 lockdown". Amandala.com. Amandala. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  19. "State of Emergency declared for San Pedro; residents placed under mandatory quarantine". Breaking Belize News. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  20. "Government issues reminder of border closures". Breaking Belize News. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  21. "Immigration officials: 'Belizeans will be allowed to come home'". Breaking Belize News. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  22. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. "Prime Minister Dean Barrow announces countrywide state of emergency". Breaking Belize News. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  24. "Coronavirus: Travel restrictions, border shutdowns by country". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  25. "Government issues reminder of border closures". Breaking Belize News-The Leading Online News Source of Belize. 22 March 2020. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  26. "Belize is now on war footing; PM Barrow announces closure of borders to national". Breaking Belize News-The Leading Online News Source of Belize. 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  27. "All borders closed to the entry of Belizean nationals". Breaking Belize News-The Leading Online News Source of Belize. 5 April 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  28. "Coronavirus Statistics Belize". epidemic-stats.com. All statistics data about coronavirus COVID-19 comes from World Health Organization and Johns Hopkins CSSE. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  29. "QUARANTINE (COVID 19 EMERGENCY MEASURES ORDER, 2020) and Amendment". Policy Tracker. Belize Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
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