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The World Health Organization today raised the pandemic alert for the H1N1 virus to phase 6, the highest level on its six point scale. That means a pandemic is underway – the first since 1968 – which was also declared for a flu outbreak. But what does it mean for Belize? Still, no cases have been detected in this country. Focal point for H1N1 Paul Edwards said that the phase six declaration has more to do with geography than severity, and in Belize, the best we can do is remain vigilant.

Dr. Paul Edwards, Focal Point – H1N1
“At level six means that it is happening globally but the classification developed by the World Health Organization just speaks to geography, the amount of countries being affected by this virus. It is not really in relation to the severity. What it means for Belize is that because we, and I want to reiterate from the very beginning, we do not have any case of H1N1 in Belize. So we continue to do what we’ve been doing.”

Jules Vasquez,
So then we do not have to change our protocols here in Belize, we do not have to again start cancelling public gatherings, nothing like that?

Dr. Paul Edwards,
“Definitely not. You’ll take that decision, remember now Jules after a couple of weeks into this outbreak we know a lot of things now that we didn’t know three or four weeks ago. We know that it is a mild disease with symptoms mimicking the regular seasonal influenza and therefore right now we will not go back to those measures. Only if things become drastic and we always have to remember that a new strain of virus now can change its characteristics whereby another strain can possibly come out.

We spoke about the different waves and in a couple of months another new strain might come out and things like that. We have to be on the alert and that is what we are doing, we are still telling people to access the health care system. If they satisfy the definition of suspected case we will still continue to send those samples away to CAREC. So we continue to be vigilant and we are aware. I want to say as a country we are on top of things.”

Jules Vasquez,
It is all around us; it is in Mexico, southern Mexico, south-eastern Mexico, it is in Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica – it has to be here Doc. It is just a problem of underreporting or somebody just nursing their own flu. Just statistically it has to be.

Dr. Paul Edwards,
“One would definitely want to think that if it is not here it certainly will come. We as a Ministry of Health and as a country, we advise for anyone who is ill to access the healthcare services and fortunately Jules people have accessed the healthcare services but in all honesty, those who have accessed and all the samples, 46 samples that we’ve sent away they have all come back negative. I think while some people might want to be sceptical and say it is here, the fact of the matter and you know fully well that we started out early.”