Another outbreak of measles has been identified in Belize. This one is in Spanish Lookout - and again the infected persons appeared to have travelled to Chihuahua, Mexico.
So, last night the following health advisory went out: "The Ministry of Health and Wellness strongly advises the public that there is ongoing measles transmission in the Spanish Lookout community and urges caution when visiting the area if you are not vaccinated. As investigations are ongoing, the number of positive cases remains undetermined at this time."
Today, the Ministry of Health held a press conference to explain this second outbreak of Measles since early April:
Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director, Public Health & Wellness
"On Friday the 9th of May, we were informed that there was someone with fever and rash at a facility in the Spanish Lookout area. We visited and we took samples for this person, and these samples are in the process of being ran. We haven't received the results as yet, but clinically, that person fits the clinical definition of measles. On doing the investigation of the person and following the trail and where this person has been. Again, it's linked to travel to Mexico."
"We cannot say that this new case that presented on Friday, is an imported case because it appears that it's locally transmitted at this point. Because this person has no travel history. This person has nobody in the family that has traveled to Mexico, but this person is linked to someone who had recently traveled to Mexico. So with that confirmation and with the assessment of, the that the team did on the ground, we determined that there is ongoing transmission of measles in the Spanish Lookout community."
Dr. Natalia Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal and Child Health
"But, 42 days after having no case, one can say the outbreak is under control and finished."
"But we just happened to experience a second group of two persons that came from abroad, and had contact with persons that are unvaccinated, and unfortunately they had the measles."
"So that is what we are facing. A second influx of imported measles cases, and it just happened to be Spanish Lookout."
Jules Vasquez
"Well, it's happening in communities where there are, there's historical resistance to vaccines or to this vaccine, and that's why it's happening. And also because they have close relations with other vaccine resistant communities in Mexico."
Dr. Natalia Beer
"Exactly. Yes."
Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa
"We believe that continuing to work closely with any community that has a low uptake of vaccines, that's the, the means that we will be utilizing, getting trust in the community, working with the community, ensuring accessibility, improving accessibility, working on weekends and trying to ensure that people are vaccinated as quickly as possible."
"And we want the message there to be that you can count on the Ministry of Health and Wellness if you give us a call and if you if you all need a vaccine campaign or something in your community, we are more than willing to do so."
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