The latest figures from the World Health Organization are that there have been over 90,000 reported cases globally of the Coronavirus or COVID-19 as it is now called. From those reported cases, there are just over 3100 confirmed deaths.
So, the international community is keeping a close eye on this emerging epidemic, that is slowly making its way over to the Americas. There have been confirmed cases of the disease in neighboring countries such as Mexico, the US, Canada, Brazil, and Ecuador. There have even been confirmed cases in Caribbean nations of the Dominican Republic and Saint Barts.
Fortunately, there are no confirmed cases in Belize, but the health professional says that it is only a matter of time before the disease makes an appearance in this country. The worry about that very real possibility has been causing a commotion on Facebook, and according to the Ministry of Health Officials, that conversation is becoming unhealthy because of the spread of misinformation and fear-mongering.
So today, several of the Health Ministry's top officials hosted a press conference in Belmopan to try to quell some of that panic and to reassure the public that they are preparing for the eventuality that COVID-19 will be detected in Belize. Here are a few excerpts from the comments of those at the head-table this evening:
Hon. Pablo Marin- Minister of Health
"We did something about four weeks ago where we did a restriction from the people that are coming in from China. Now, we are looking at our colleagues from WHO that are giving us the advice that banning and doing restrictions will not help any at all."
Dr. Marvin Manzanero- Director of Health Services
"One of the things that I think was very clear from the Dominican Republics experience that was shared with us earlier today is that very few cases, and I think even the WHO Director General has been seeing this, are actually detected at an entry point. So, I am hearing that people are concerned with what is happening at the airport, what is happening at the border. But when you look at the scientific evidence and we have been seeing as well, screening at port of entry can be that a lot of resources are wasted, human resources and financial with very few epidemiological substance to back it up. What the Dominican Republic also highlighted is that they have direct flights to Europe and some Caribbean countries that most people are actually lying upon arrival. That more than likely is happening here. Even if people are coming from Italy they found out that people would travel by road to any other European country and then take a flight to an intermediary point and then on to the Dominican Republic. That way, you can kind of side step or go to another country, stay two days and then travel. So, most cases everywhere you go are going to be detected at hospitals. So that is where the heightened surveillance really needs to happen."
Dr. Russell Manzanero- Epidemiologist
"On the 7th of January, Chinese authorities identified a new type of coronavirus from a cluster of pneumonia that was identified in Wuhan City in Hubei province China. Since then, on the 30th of January the Director General of WHO has now declared it a public health emergency of international concern. As of March 3rd we have now confirmed 91,783 confirmed cases. Of these, 3,123 deaths, the majority of these are being seen in China. The spread is now to 74 countries. Bringing it closer to our side, we have seen cases in the US, Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Dominican Republic, St. Barts and St. Martin. Of course, we have been seeing deaths outside of China. We have been seeing 122 deaths and we also know of reported international conveyance with the crewship that had 706 cases and of those, 6 deaths on that reported crewship. Of concern now is that we are seeing a sustained and localized transmission in countries that had no previous travel history. So, now there are countries with local transmission of which the ongoing research is needed. In the US, we now have 64 concerned cases and of those 6 have died, so we are looking closely at that and we are also looking at the numbers in the UK and Canada. In Mexico we did have 6 reported cases, Dominican Republic reports 2, Brazil 2, Ecuador 6 and St. Martins and St. Barts 1 case."
Hon. Pablo Marin- Minister of Health
"80% of the cases does not need any hospitalization. Also, we want you all to know that a lot of people won't show the symptoms."
Dr. Marvin Manzanero- Director of Health Services
"Remember it can also very well be that it is already here. We really don't want to say that but that's the reality. When you look at the Italian situation, they are saying that they could have had that for weeks before they catched on to it. The same thing in the case of Washington. So, we will just follow those links. What has been clear from the experience shared today is that it is establishing that epidemiological link which means healthcare workers coming in contact with those that are ill and trying to trace where you have been. That is perhaps going to be the thing that breaks it for us."
Hon. Pablo Marin- Minister of Health
"It is a concern for the Prime Minister and Cabinet for us to do as much as we can in this case and it is something that we are aware that the public is very concerned and frightened of this unknown virus that we haven't encountered one yet. So, let's hope that when it comes because eventually it will come, it is not as severe as we believe it will be."
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