Teenagers Contracted Measles In Chihuahua, Mexico

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has confirmed two cases of measles in Belize for the first time since 1991. The two patients - both teenagers - were on a trip in Mexico when they contracted the disease. They have since been isolated while the ministry continues to monitor for any other cases.

This comes amid a measles outbreak in the Americas Today, the senior managers at the Ministry held a press conference via Zoom, during which the Director of Public Health and Wellness provided more information about the cases.

Dr Melissa Diaz, Director of Public Health and Wellness
"The cases are individuals from the Corozal and Cayo districts who had recently traveled to Mexico. The information thus far is as follows. The group included 15 travelers from four communities in Belize. These persons traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico around the 5th of January 2025 and returned to Belize around the end of March 2025. Of the persons with this similar travel history, 30 are asymptomatic, of whom 11 are vaccinated. Two unvaccinated persons developed symptoms in Belize and were tested positive for measles. The details of the two positive cases are as follows. A 17 year old male, all vaccinated, who started with fever, rash and cough on April 3rd. Laboratory confirmation of measles was received on April 12th. The second case is a 17 year old female unvaccinated who started with symptoms on April 2nd. Laboratory confirmation of measles was received on April 12th. All 15 travelers have been interviewed by the staff of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and are being monitored regularly for signs and symptoms. These cases emerge amid a regional surge in measles across the Americas between January and March of 2025, 507 confirmed cases were reported in countries including Canada, the United States, Mexico and Argentina."

"Despite over great efforts in ramping up the vaccines, Belize remains below the target percentage of 95%. In 2024, Belize reported a percentage of 83.9% for the MMR2. There are many communities countrywide where the target percentage remains low, and it is in these communities that we, a team of healthcare workers are put in much effort."

"The Ministry of Health and Wellness is urging the public to stay alert, report any cases of fever and rash illnesses to the nearest health facility without delay."

Measles Outbreak In The Americas, One Simple Solution: MMR Vaccine

And, the public messaging coming out of this is clear: they are encouraging everyone to get vaccinated. Whether you aren't sure if you have been before or not - the vaccine is there for everyone:

Dr. Natalia Largaespada Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal & Child Health
"If we want to protect our population against measles, the best and most effective protection is to get vaccinated."

"So the urge is for persons that are unvaccinated then, or cannot remember if they were vaccinated or not to get vaccinated."

"It's the only way we can stop the spread."

Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa, Director - Public Health and Wellness
"I think that the message should be that if you're uncertain or if you feel that you were not vaccinated and you don't have any recollection of, your parents or whoever discussing the vaccines with you, come in and get get the vaccine."

Notably, the Cayo District has the lowest vaccination rate at 73% - while Corozal has the highest at 93%. Notably, Belize only currently has 39,000 doses of the measles vaccine - which was set aside for infants. But, if more is needed, Mexico has volunteered to donate as much as may be needed.

What You Need To Know About Measles If You're Traveling For Easter

And Mexico is battle ready because that country has already confirmed 126 cases and one death from measles. Six of those cases came from Quintana Roo. So what do Belizean who are traveling to Mexico - particularly over Easter need to know? :

Jules Vasquez
"We know that Quintana Roo has reported six cases. Yucatan has reported two. What should be the level of awareness for Belizeans traveling into Mexico?"

Dr. Natalia Largaespada Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal & Child Health
"Any unvaccinated person traveling abroad and come in contact with persons that may be infected with measles more likely will be infected with measles."

"But I think the key message here is for if you are going to travel, make sure you review your vaccination status. Ideally, you should get vaccinated before you travel because these cases is just the perfect formula for importation."

"Now the issue with measles is that the person is contagious even before they have any signs and symptoms."

"So it makes it more difficult for one to say, well, stay away from persons that are ill with fever and rash, but the contagious period starts even before that, so it makes it more difficult."

"But, travel bans so far, I don't think that's the way to go."

Might Visitors Flying In From Texas Bring Measles?

And, it is being reported that those cases in the Mexican state of Chihuahua - likely came over from the US state of Texas, western Texas to be exact- where more than 500 cases have been reported since late January.
Mexican news outlets also report that the majority of Chihuahua's measles cases have been discovered in the Mennonite communities. And, as you heard, Belize's two cases had travelled to that area.

But, the fact is that multiple flights come out of Houston and Dallas Texas to Belize every day - so are travelers being monitored?:

Dr. Natalia Largaespada Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal & Child Health
"When you walk into the airports, they have signs and symptoms of measles and report if you have any of this any present illnesses similar to measles."

Jules Vasquez
"But is there increased surveillance at the at the border? People going on vacation won't in general self report. Are their health officers doing actual surveillance of all air and land crossings?"

Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa, Director - Public Health and Wellness
"The, the, the process in Belize and, and in the Ministry of Health and Wellness is that we do have public health inspectors trained in surveillance, at our borders and at the cruise ships. So the public health inspectors have numerous roles when they're at these border points. And one of the roles is in surveillance."

"So the enhancement basically means that we're actively looking for cases reaching out to people who have been sick, because, of course, a part of the public health inspectors duty at the border points, especially for the airport, is to look at the, report that the captain sends out just prior to landing, identifying whether somebody is ill on flight, etc., and then we take action depending on on that."

"So, we will adjust for each border. We will enhance the surveillance at those places."

Jules Vasquez
"How concerned should we be and how do we protect ourselves? These are tourists. You know, they're coming on vacation."

Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa
"Getting your vaccine too, and so that's the best way that we can do it. We've mentioned our heightened surveillance, identifying cases early and isolating cases early. And of course, ensuring that we are vaccinated."

How Long Had Suspect Cases For Measles Been Flagged Before They Were Reported?

So, now that the cases are here -and getting the vaccination is the best solution - was there a window of opportunity to start creating awareness even earlier? We heard about the first case April 8th - and reports tell us the investigation had started even before that.

So, why not say something earlier, that is what we asked today:

Jules Vasquez
"Why didn't you all say something earlier? I know it was just a flag, but we know there was a clinical presentation. Had you not? If you had spoken earlier, wouldn't there have been greater benefits to public health or public awareness that "ey this thing is in Mexico. We have to be more careful, etc."

Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa, Director - Public Health and Wellness
"Not because we haven't made a public statement that we are investigating, does it mean that we are not doing all that is needed to contain and to isolate persons. So when we got the when we got the notification, immediately our health team went to investigate, to do a report and to put things in place to ensure that there will be, so when, when that, that we are potentially containing any, any spread."

"So it is not our practice to say, yes, we have a measles case and we have no confirmation that there is a measles case."

Jules Vasquez
"Should we have put up an epidemiological alert, as the Guatemalans did in March?"

Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa
"Well, we have been, in fact, coincidentally, we have drafted. We just did a press release even before the case was reported to us."

"So, things were going into place and we have absolutely nothing to hide from the public."

Measles Is More Infectious Than COVID, But There's A Well Established Vaccine

But now that it has been confirmed, measles is at the front and center of the public health discussion - much like COVID was 4 years ago. The difference between the two is that measles is more infectious - but there is already a well established vaccine solution:

Dr. Natalia Largaespada Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal & Child Health
"The situation with measles is a bit more concerning because of the transmissibility. One person that is infected can infect nine out of ten persons. The spreading of the droplets. When a person breathes, coughs, sneezes, (germs) can remain in the ambient for up to two hours and contaminate surfaces. And also and have the virus there that can be transmitted within that two hours. And reach of that, transmission is 12 feet."

"So if you compare the data with Covid with measles, measles is more contagious, then Covid 19."

Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa, Director - Public Health and Wellness
"Covid was a novel virus. We knew nothing about it. And with measles, we do have a large percentage of our population vaccinated. And we do know a lot about measles. So the, the, the, the pros to it is that we know what can prevent spread and we know how we can go about doing that unlike Covid."

Police Confirm Marin Was Killed In Retaliation

Two men were arrested for the murder of 24 year old Luis Marin, who was killed last Tuesday. Marin - a resident of Cotton Tree Village - was visiting a friend in Majestic Alley in Belize City when he was fatally shot. There was speculation that his murder was related to the brazen Belmopan daylight shooting, which those closest to him denied. But the police have a different story. ACP Hilberto Romero told us more.

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"Police this weekend arrested and charged Scorian Stuart and Michael Gillett jointly for the crime of murder."

Courtney Menzies:
"Was this indeed in retaliation for the Belmopan shooting?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"Yes that is the information we have received, it is in retaliation for that incident."

Courtney Menzies:
"Were the two men who were arrested in the vehicle in the Belmopan shooting?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"No I don't have information that they were in that vehicle."

Reporter:
"How are they related to the injured person from that shooting?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"They had some interaction with those persons and that is what led to the shooting."

Reporter:
"Was Marin believed to be one of the people in the car that had the shooter?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"He at the time was wanted for questioning in regards to that shooting so that is all the information we have."

Today in court, 19 year old Stuart, and 23 year old Gillett were remanded to prison.

Park Stabbing After Night At Club

A woman was stabbed in Digi Park in Belize City over the weekend. 24 year old Chelsey Lewis is currently in a stable condition while her alleged attacker, 26 year old Erin Belezaire has been charged. According to ACP Romero, they were socializing earlier in the night. He gave us the details.

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"An investigation was carried out and Erynne Belezaire was arrested and charged for the crimes of dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm."

Courtney Menzies:
"Do police know why she stabbed her?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"They were socializing first at Thirsty Thursday thereafter they left and that is where they got into the argument at Newtown Barracks that led to the stabbing."

Reporter
"Was anyone else injured?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"No one else was injured."

Courtney Menzies:
"So they were together, they were like friends?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"They were all at that location before the incident."

Courtney Menzies:
"You don't know what the nature of the argument was?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"No we are not sure what they were arguing about."

Reporter:
"Was anyone else detained in respect to the fight itself?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"Yes other people were detained but only this person was arrested for dangerous harm as she did the stabbing."

Courtney Menzies:
"What did she stab her with?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"A knife."

Courtney Menzies:
"That she had in her possession?"

ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"Yes she had it."

Belezaire pleaded not guilty to both charges. There was no objection to bail and it was granted in the sum of $1,500, which the call Center Employee met. She will be back in court on June 16th.

Elmer Nah Loses Another Attorney

First senior counsel Godfrey Smith resigned from his case and now a his Trinidadian attorneys have also stepped away from Elmer Nah's legal team.
The former cop is facing trial for a triple murder in Belmopan - but today during a case management session only Attorney Lynden Jones appeared in person. Peter Taylor and his team did not appear in person or virtually.
Justice Pilgrim brought up the topic of a withdrawal of Taylor and Jones confirmed that he was aware of the withdrawal and that he is the sole attorney now representing Nah in the matter.
In a letter to the court, Peter Taylor said, "Mr. Nah expressed dissatisfaction with my representation at the CMC on April 1, 2025 and in the premises, I feel obligated to withdraw my service."
Elmer Nah was further remanded to the Belize Central Prison until May 16, 2025 when the last of the case management session is set to occur.

The trial within a trial is set for May 26-29, 2025, and his trial is set to commence tentatively on June 6, 2025.

Firearm And Ammunitions Board Goes Digital

The Ministry of Home Affairs and its Firearms and Ammunition Control board celebrated a significant milestone today, the launch of the CARICOM Integrated Digital Firearms Registration Management System which allows for the digitization of Essential Firearms and Ammunition Records. Here are the highlights from the event, Jomarie Lanza reports.

The official handing over of the Digital Firearms Registration Management System to the Firearms Ammunition And Control Board took place this morning with an objective to ensure responsible governance of firearms and ammunition in Belize. The system was designed to produce modern, transparent and accountable data.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"This system will allow for real time tracking and audibility of fire arms throughout their entire life cycle. From importation to eventual decommissioning ensuring a clear and transparent chain of custody it will also facilitate and improve data shifting among enforcement agencies and licensing authorities strengthening coordination and operational efficiency. By providing accurate and timely information the system will support evidence based decision making by policy makers. Most importantly it will help to build and sustain public trust in the integrity of Belize's firearm governance processes. Let me be clear, Belize is not acting in isolation. Our participation in regional forums including our collaboration with CARICOM the OAS and our bilateral partners such as the United States demonstrates our deep commitment to regional integration, collective security and the fight against the illicit proliferation of arms."

The initiative first began in January when the Ministry Of Home Affairs reached out to them for assistance to address critical gaps in Belize firearms control regulatory framework

Callixtus Joseph, Assistant Director CARICOM IMPACS
"In response, our team at CARICOM IMPACS in collaboration with the Mines Advisory Group and with the generous support of the United States government rapidly mobilised technological, operational, and strategic resources. Within days consultations were held and by March a comprehensive support package was mobilised and today just over three months later we have transitioned from request to delivery and we celebrate the delivery of a fully operated solution. This rapid turnover is a testament to the efficiency, the agility and effectiveness of our culmination. The maturity of our partnerships and the urgency in which CARICOM IMPACS approach the issue of arms control. It also underscores the ministry of home affairs and the firearms and ammunition control board national readiness the foresight of its leadership and the government's strong commitment to effective and enduring arms control outcomes."

But the work doesn't stop there the minister went on to discuss what their next venture will be in improving the work of the firearms ammunition and control board

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"We will soon enhance this system further with the acquisition of a firearm marking machine. I am looking forward to that, we were destroying them the other day and now we will mark them. And the deployment of the SAM inventory control system as guided by the OAS these upgrades will support traceability and enhance stockpile management and bring us into full compliance with global best practices."

The US Embassy also supported the initiative.

New Tools To Save 30% Of The Ocean

Also at the Biltmore today, the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute along with key stakeholders are learning how to present and validate draft outputs from Phase II of the Ocean Use Survey. They're doing this with guidance from the developers of a planning tool known as "Sea Sketch." It will help them to identify Biodiversity Protection Zones through a science-based participatory and interactive process. Jomarie Lanza attended the event today and here's how it went.

There were 25 -30 attendees this morning at the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute Geospatial workshop. They will spend the next three days learning how to use a new application that was developed to assist them in the process of Marine Spatial Planning. Samir Rosado, the Plan Process Lead for CZMAI, described it as a tool to be used in developing the Belize sustainable Ocean plan.

Samir Rosado, Marine Spatial Plan Process Lead, CZMAI
"That plan is the marine spatial plan tied to the Blue bond agreement which is supposed to look at our entire ocean space, give stakeholders an opportunity for us to sit down, analyse, rationalise and go about allocating space that would support activities that happen within our ocean space as we term it but Belize's seas and waters that are integral to communities, that are integral for our economy and ensure that we get it right through this process."

"So we are taking a look at two of the main decision support tools that we are utilising for the process namely Marxan and Seasketch. Now as you can imagine a process that is looking to allocate space to support activity will take a lot of data inputs. You have information that has to come from the public at large you know, real users of the space you also have information that has to come from government, from managers and so we have to find a way to bring all of this together in a way that makes sense and be in a position to be able to use it to make decisions. Sea sketch is that tool that we utilise to actually collect data so we have done two rounds of survey implementation where we went to 26 communities across Belize and we found out from all of the community members exactly what spaces they need on a day to day basis, if you are a fisher, where are the areas that are important to you, tour guide you know even if it is just for recreational use we went about figuring our where those areas are so that as we go about planning and actually rationalising the use of space we know exactly where things occur and then we work our hardest to not displace or disenfranchise people that utilise those spaces. Marxan on the other hand is a tool that helps us to really hone in on the areas that would be candidate sites for the designation of biodiversity protection zones so tied to this Belize sustainable Ocean plan there is a target to designate up to 30% of our ocean space as a biodiversity protection zone. But in doing so we need to ensure we are ticking all the boxes and meeting certain criteria's."

The application has been in use within Belize for just under a year. Their senior fellow reported that they have experienced major success in other countries like Portugal and hopes this valuable tool can do the same for Belize

Will McClintock, Senior Fellow, SeaSketch
"My lab at the University of California Santa Barbra develops an application called Sea Sketch which is being used here and actually all over the world for Marine Spatial planning including the design of Marine Protected areas and at this workshop we are helping people learn how to use Sea Sketch for collaboratively designing and evaluating Biodiversity protection zones to meet certain science and policy guidelines, so for example to protect 30% of the Ocean space and all the key Eco systems in there and I will minimise the displacement of users of that ocean space so users here will see how that tool interacts with other tools such as Marxan which is a prioritisation tool, sort of a modelling tool so you can imagine that planning ocean space requires the input of people's values and ideas generated by people for what areas should be protected, SeaSketch is a tool that captures people's ideas or values and lets people express their ideas and collaborate with others to design those protected areas. Marxan is a tool that really allows for people to input their objectives and then have the computer generate ideas for what areas should be protected. So these two tools Seasketch and Marxan are used together to combine people's ideas and then computer generated ideas to identify places for protection."

"So SeaSketch has actually been used over the last year here in Belize to gather values in the sense that it was used in a survey asking people to identify places they value in the ocean for fishing, diving, transportation, recreation and so on and the feedback we have gotten in that case is wow seasketch is a very simple tool to use and it's an effective means of gathering and then inputting people's values into the planning process."

"It's a little early to tell but from today's workshop I can see that a number of people have already used seasketch which is a good sign because I haven't taught anyone how to use seasketch yet so people have gotten online at sketch.org/belize to see the tool and experiment with it and that is kind of the message for everybody in Belize if you have a computer and the internet connection you can go to Seasketch.org/Belize and see all the data being used in this planning process and experiment with the tools that are used to design these biodiversity protection zones."

New Transport Board Named, They Face Many Challenges

And while those marine planners have a cool tool to use - there's no tool that can fix the mess Belize's public transport systems is in. The problems with decades old buses on the highway make the news very regularly - as it did today - when this southbound R. Tillett bus caught on fire. Fortunately no one was hurt - even though it did happen in front of Club Fire, formerly Eruption.
Figuring out how to bring those buses up to standard will be the work of the newly appointed Transport Board which convened its inaugural meeting Today.

The newly appointed Transport Board members comprise, Chairman Joel Cervantes, Deputy Chair Debora Jones, Clementina Castillo representing Private Sector Users of Public Transport, Sr. Superintendent Calbert Flowers Representing the Belize Police Department Russell Medina representing the MIDH, Thomas Shaw representing the Public Transport Providers and Peter Williams Designate Representative of the Chief Transport Officer.

CBA Issues Surprising Stop Order For Cayo Rosario

Tonight, there is surprising news coming out of the Central Building Authority in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing.
On Friday, the CBA wrote to developer David Kalenov saying that an interagency site visit conducted on April 9, at the Cayo Rosario Development Project found that, quote, "several buildings were constructed without approved permits, and construction has commenced on the entrance pier without the required permit."
The letter concludes, quote, "Therefore, the Cayo Rosario Development project has constructed buildings and an unauthorized pier. I am issuing an immediate stop work order for all Cayo Rosario Development project site construction activities."end quote.
The letter says that the stop order will remain in effect until all necessary permits are obtained from the CBA for all structures and construction activities on the site. Kalenov's group now has to submit applications and plans for all outstanding permits to the CBA immediately.

It's a big and bold move by the CBA and we'll let you know what happens next.

Who Has The Best Buns In Belize City?

It's not Easter without hot cross buns, and that cinnamon-y smell wafted across Belize City yesterday afternoon. The Belize City Council hosted its 2nd annual hot cross bun fest and the main event was the competition the showcased Belize's favorite easter snack.
The competitors came out in style - and taste - but there was only one lucky winner. Courtney Menzies was there at Memorial Park yesterday and has this story.

2nd place went to Rennel Burgos and 3rd place was Nicole Baptist.

Belize Is Certified Malaria Free, But Has It Made An Appearance In The West?

In today;s press conference with the ministry of health and wellness, we got to ask about one troubling health event: the possible re-appearance of malaria in the Cayo district after Belize had been certifie malaria free. Here's that back and forth:

Jules Vasquez
"I know Belize is certified malaria free, but I have received reports that there is a cluster of suspected malaria cases in the Cayo district."

Dr. Melissa Diaz Musa, Director - Public Health and Wellness
"Well yeah. Actually do have interviews scheduled to discuss the malaria situation. But I think that for this purpose, we should stick to the measles and then we could address malaria at another interview."

"And just to advise you that when we, as, ministry state that we have eliminated or we have received certification of elimination, many times, it doesn't mean that there's zero case, but you have fallen below a certain threshold. And we also W.H.O. looks at consecutive years of how the country has responded before they can determine whether that certification has been removed or whether we remain in certification."

"So it's not a hard and fast one off case and your certification has been removed."

Hundreds Of Whooping Cough Cases In Mexico, Might They Come To Belize?

We also asked about whooping cough after 600 cases have been reported in Mexico - might those be coming over to Belize?:

Dr. Natalia Largaespada Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal & Child Health
"We have as part of the expanded program on immunization, we have the surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases and whooping cough is included there. We have had some small outbreaks almost nearly every year."

"But, the factor is unvaccinated children."

"So we have had small clusters of persons, infected with whooping cough that are children not vaccinated, unvaccinated children."

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