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86 Tests, 84 Negative
posted (March 27, 2020)

And as you heard, that “contact tracingâ€￾ extends to their immediate family. Dr. Russel Manzanero gave us an update on those tests and the wider batch of 86 tests that have been run so far. 

Dr. Russell Manzanero - National Epidemiologist, MOH
"Up to date and currently in real time we're actually processing additional samples for COVID. To date we have actually screened 86 samples for COVID, of which we know it's the same 2 that have remained positive, the index case and her immediate contact. We do know that areas are being screened right now, we have 3 samples that were screened from Belize City, 3 from Corozal and one from the Stann Creek district. So 4 of those are already negative that we're seeing and the other 3 are being ran right now."

Dr. Marvin Manzanero - Director of Health Services
"Some of the samples for example that are being processed, really don't seem to have a strong COVID 19 tie but because we're trying to expand our surveillance and testing, those test are being run. As San Pedro people are being tested that came in contact with the individual."

Dr. Russell Manzanero
"When it comes to who is being tested, when it comes to contacts, contacts of the index case are indeed being screened. Remember there is a measure of how we do testing. The testing continues to be anybody who has symptoms, presenting with symptoms and is actually of a direct contact. So in this case, we are looking at those cases, the amount of samples that we did screen from these index cases are being screened as well and we already have some of those results. I believe there is only 2 that have been pooled for today, so those will be entering into a new testing for later on this evening but so far, the contacts they are being screened."

At the last session, Dr. Marvin Manzanero had said that patient zero had made 34 contacts.

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