The last time I wrote about COVID-19 we had a total of 22 cases. Now that number has fastly increased to 39 cases as of yesterday. As with that last post, many of the new cases have been due to illegal border jumpers. Below is a summary of what has transpired since then.

• Case 23 – Was a young female who arrived on the flight, she was asymptomatic with no treatment required. She went into immediate quarantine upon arrival as part of the established protocol.
• Case 24 – This was a Honduran national who had been caught in Belizean waters and is currently under mandatory quarantine in Dangriga. The person is asymptomatic.
• Cases 25 – 28 – The 4 persons identified came into the country all as part of the repatriation process. Two through the Northern Border entry point and 2 on PGIA flights. All 4 persons are asymptomatic and went into immediate mandatory hotel quarantine upon arrival.
• Cases 29 – 30 – These last two cases are that of a male and female, Belizeans caught entering the border illegally via La Union. They are asymptomatic and have been in the mandatory quarantine area from when they were caught.
• Cases 31 – 33 – These cases are all minors and are members of a family who had been illegally across the border. The 3 new cases are in Orange Walk.
• Cases 34 – 37 – These 4 cases are related to the previously identified 3 cases and all 7 members of this family remain at the quarantine center in Orange Walk. One person displayed minor signs and symptoms and was seen at the hospital yesterday but has not warranted in-hospital treatment.  All 7 cases were identified as persons who had been crossing the border into Mexico illegally and the contact tracing/mapping exercise for all these cases is currently ongoing.
• Case 38 – A case in a returning male on the repatriation flight that arrived on Friday, July 10th. He is under quarantine at a hotel and is asymptomatic.
• Case 39 – A male in his 50’s who was seen as a patient at the San Ignacio Community Hospital over the weekend with gastrointestinal symptoms and a loss of sense of taste and smell. The patient was discharged to self-isolate home. He has improved clinically and remains in isolation at home. The contact tracing for this last case is currently ongoing and once more details are provided they will be made available. (Based on unofficial statements this person had been in the Orange Walk region where the previous cases had been identified).

All this information points to one thing; the new cases have all been due to outside exposure either by illegal border crossing or through the repatriation process. More and more cases such as these in my opinion. The Blue Creek & San Felipe area have been placed under a full month lockdown, but I highly doubt this will minimize the illegal border crossing. Many of these individuals around this area have lively hoods that depend on illegal contraband, as sad as that may sound. Not to mention we are just a month away from having the international airport being opened which is likely to bring further infected persons.

I can see Belize going to a full quarantine in a month or two once again – just my two cents …