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Evarista Badillo Selected as Mother of the Year 2020
The San Pedro Town Council today announced its selection of Mother of the Year for San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. Mayor Daniel Guerrero, the San Pedro Town Council and Staff congratulate Mother of the Year 2020-2021, Ms. Evarista Badillo. The Mother’s Day event of the island was cancelled, along with other major events of the island, this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, via REEF RADIO/TV a new Mother of the Year was selected at random from nominations made by the viewers and listeners on Friday, May 8th, 2020.
Belize is Back to Zero Active COVID-19 Cases
This afternoon, Belize’s Ministry of Health has made the announcement that the country is once again back to zero active COVID-19 cases with the last two active cases having recovered after testing negative on their second test. This marks the 7th week since it was announced that Belize had its first COVID-19 case, a 38-year-old female, Belizean national who resides in San Pedro. Belize is going into a 4th week since the last case was diagnosed but Belizeans are urged that they CANNOT lose sight of the fact that our neighbors are having escalating numbers in terms of cases and deaths.
San Pedro’s COVID-19 Measures are Illegal and Non-Enforceable says Commissioner of Police
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in Belize, Ambergris Caye residents have been following additional rules and regulations separate from the rest of the country, set by Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr. (Area Representative and Minister of Tourism) along with the task force of the Emergency Operation Center. Their explanation has been that the island needs different rules from the rest of the country in order to protect its residents.
Bowen & Bowen Makes Major Donation to Ministry of Health
Supporting the Fight Against COVID-19 - (Press Release) - Bowen & Bowen and Companies (B&B) has pledged support to the Ministry of Health (“MOH”) and all Belizeans through a donation of much needed medical supplies. Tomorrow the company will be delivering to the MOH 20 hospital beds with mattresses and 5000 surgical masks. The CEO / President of Bowen & Bowen, Ltd, Michael H. M.
San Pedro Town Council Updates Regulations During COVID-19 Lockdown
Press Release, San Pedro Town Council, Ambergris Caye, Belize - Tuesday, April 28, 2020 – Based on the Statutory Instrument No. 62 of 2020 which came into effect on April 26, 2020, the San Pedro Town Council, Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. and the EOC have made modifications to further ensure the safety of all residents in Ambergris Caye. The modifications will be fully enforced and are effective immediately.
San Pedro Polyclinic Postpones Vaccination Schedule
The management of the Dr. Otto Rodriquez San Pedro Polyclinic II has made announcement that after close consultation with Central Health Region, Ministry of Health, it has made the difficult decision to postpone the Vaccinations Scheduled. Being in the state of emergency, the Ministry of Health has advices them to further discuss and strategize how they will administer the vaccines in a method that will not put the mothers, babies and nurses in harm's way.
Gasoline Price in Belize to Drop Almost Three Dollars
The Ministry of Finance has announced that on Saturday, April 25, 2020 the pump price for regular gasoline will decrease by $2.97 from $10.23 to $7.26 per gallon. The prices for premium gasoline, kerosene, and diesel will remain unchanged at $10.92, $5.43, and $8.25 per gallon, respectively.
Belize Unemployment Relief Program Closed to New Applications
Belmopan. April 24, 2020. 6:01 p.m. - The Economic Oversight Team informs the public that the online portal for the Unemployment Relief Program has been closed to new applications. The portal opened to receive applications on April 3, 2020 and up to the time of closure at 4:00 p.m. today, April 24th, a total of 81,007 applications were received.
BEL Battling Effects of Extreme Weather Conditions on Power System
Press Release - BEL Continues to Manage the Effects of Environmental Conditions on Power System - Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) teams continue to manage the effects of extended drought and seasonal dry weather conditions on our electric infrastructure, which have resulted in an increase of dust, smoke and soot contamination on power line equipment. Over the past few days, there has been an increase in pole fires due to excessive contaminants on insulators that cause them to fail, and bush fires that damage poles.
All Three Lobster Festivals in Belize Have Been Cancelled
At the beginning of April, the Caye Caulker Lobster Fest committee officially announced the cancelation of their lobster festival for 2020; this is in light of the current situation our country is facing with COVID-19.
United States Provides Assistance to Belize to Respond to COVID-19
- Press Release - The United States Government has committed $300,000 U.S. dollars to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in Belize. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing these funds to UNICEF-Belize. The United States, via USAID, is providing this life-saving support through coordination with the Government of Belize, international humanitarian partners, and other stakeholders to support these priority areas for investment:
Motorcycle Donated to San Pedro Police Department
From The San Pedro Town Council - In a brief handing over, a member of the Lebanese business community on Ambergris Caye donated a Jiyo brand, 125 cubic centimeter engine motorcycle to the San Pedro Police Formation. The donation was secured through Malak Harmouch, proprietor of Local Hardware Store in San Pedro Town. At hand to receive the donation was the Officer In Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit of the Belize Police Department, Superintended of Police Christopher Noble.
Belize Rolls Out More Unemployment Relief
As of noon today, April 20, 2020, a total of 72,213 applications have been submitted since the Unemployment Relief Program was opened to accept applications on April 3, 2020. This includes some of the applications submitted via hard copy, which have begun to be entered into the online portal.
Belize Approves Disbursement of 7,247 Unemployment Relief Payments
Belmopan. April 14, 2020. 5:30 p.m. - As of 2:00 p.m. today, April 14th, 62,706 applications have been received via the COVID-19 eServices Portal, in addition to a lesser amount received in hard copy, for the COVID-19 Unemployment Relief Program. The program was designed to offer financial assistance to meet the needs of workers who have been laid off as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. It also provides relief to persons who were unemployed prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and are now experiencing even more difficult circumstances.
Belize COVID-19 Cases Jump from 14 to 18 in 24 Hours
Belmopan. April 13, 2020. 1:00 p.m. - The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Belize now stands at 18, with four new confirmed cases identified over the last 24 hours. The confirmed cases are distributed as follows: • A female in San Ignacio Town, as a close contact of a confirmed case from that town. • Three cases in Belize City, which are all close contacts of a previously confirmed case in that city.
Fourteenth Case of COVID-19 Confirmed in Belize
Belmopan. April 12, 2020. 9:47 a.m. - A further 26 samples were tested for COVID-19 at the Central Medical Laboratory and one of those samples has yielded a positive result. This is the 14th confirmed case. The sample is that of a female resident in the Cayo District and close contact of a previously identified case who started developing minor symptoms, which included runny nose, nasal congestion and a loss of sense of taste. The patient remains with minor symptoms and is in self-isolation at home. The Ministry of Health’s enhanced surveillance continues.
Belize Identifies Three New Cases of COVID-19 in Belize City & Corozal
Belmopan. April 11, 2020. 9:50 a.m. - The Ministry of Health continues its enhanced surveillance activities and mapping exercises as it aims to contain further cases of COVID-19. The initial mapping exercise in Belize City and the processing of further samples from the case in Corozal have identified three more cases of COVID-19. Two of the new cases are in Corozal and one is in Belize City; all these cases are close contacts of already identified cases.
Alaia Foundation Donates to Essential Island Workers
The Alaia Foundation most recently made a generous donation to help medical staff in their fight to manage and contain COVID-19 on San Pedro and Caye Caulker. Today, Founders of the Non-Profit Organization, Jasmine Hartin and Andrew Ashcroft announced the procurement of 750 face masks. “We wanted to do the right thing, help our essential workers out and do what we can to flatten the curve,” Hartin said.
Health Workers Undergo Screening after Belize's 10th COVID-19 Victim Passes
Belmopan. April 10, 2020. 11:45 a.m. - The Government of Belize and the Ministry of Health regret to inform of the death of the patient confirmed earlier as the 10th case of COVID-19. The patient had been receiving treatment as of March 27th at a private medical facility in Belize City. While there, the patient was swabbed twice and the samples sent to the Central Medical Laboratory for testing for COVID-19; both tests proved inconclusive.
Confirmed Tenth Case of COVID-19 in Belize Passes
Belmopan. April 10, 2020. 6:25 a.m. - As reports come out from the Ministry of Health confirming a 10th positive case for COVID-19 in Belize last night, an update this morning from the KHMH indicates that patient #10 has died. The confirmation test came out positive late last night (April 9th). This was from a set of 30 samples tested, some of which were from frontline workers as part of routine surveillance.