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No Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Belize
posted (March 17, 2020)

Tonight, there are still no cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Belize.  According to the World Health Organization it has been detected in 160 of 195 member countries, so Belize is one of 35 in the world where COVID-19 has not been detected.  

But, the public anxiety in some places, hysteria in others continues to deepen.  

Top try and counter some of the false rumour reporting, the Ministry of Health today had its second webcast dubbed "Ask the Experts".   

It's a live stream where the Ministry professionals provide the latest information about COVID-19 and also answer questions from the general public.

The Ministry hosted a 1-hour webcast this evening, and here are a few general comments that the Director of Health Services opened the live broadcast with:

Dr. Marvin Manzanero - Director of Health Services
"I can confirm that we don't have any confirmed case of COVID 19, that means we still remain a COVID 19, at least we have not detected any case and we're just coming out of a meeting with persons from the Central Medical Laboratory because I know that they are concerned with what kind of test we are and why we are negative and that kind of situation. I think we have ironed out some of the major issues with the laboratory personnel and what kind of screening we are actually going to be doing to try to see if we can do a more active surveillance in that regard. Before we get into the question and answer, I think I need to bring up some other items that we have been reviewing over the last 36 hours and even through there are many things happening through the weekend. Yesterday we had two sessions in terms of trying to train or at least sensitize staff, one was with elements of the police department, there was one with the Belize Chamber of Commerce, there was introduction with Ministry of Education as well. We also provided a presentation to the oversight committee which is chaired by Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the leader of the opposition and then we had a first oversight task force meeting in Belmopan that brought in stakeholders from major entities to try to get a terms of reference going in that regard. We have also had private companies had sensitization sessions, I think the Bowen Group of Companies had an interaction this morning and we also had a session with the Customs Department earlier today."

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