It has been a very unfortunate past few days when it comes to the ever-increasing number of COVID-19 related fatalities. On Monday, December 14, 2020, Hon. David “Dido” Vega, 47, was laid to rest in an Official Funeral held in his home town of Corozal. Just days prior, on the morning of Friday, December 11, he succumbed to COVID-19 related complications at Belize Healthcare Partners Limited in Belize City. It was there that he spent his last week battling the disease since his health had begun to decline quite rapidly. His death was a somber occurrence on Friday especially since it was the day that the recently elected P.U.P. Corozal Bay area representative would have been officially sworn into the House of Representatives. Adding to the solemn mood was the news that Ingrid Vega, the wife of the late area representative, is now hospitalized herself. Just one day following her husband’s untimely passing, she was rushed to Healthcare Partners, also for COVID-19 related complications. There, she is listed as critical.
Aside from Vega’s death, two more well-known and shocking deaths which really shook the Belizean population to the core were the deaths of brother doctors, Kevin and Kenneth Guerra. The Guerra doctors, both 33-years- old, were doctors working within the health system at the Independence Polyclinic in the south and at the San Ignacio Community Hospital in the west. They worked as frontline healthcare professionals in the fight against the pandemic until they themselves became victims of the virus. The twins died less than one day apart from each other, with Kevin being the first to succumb from COVID-19 on Saturday afternoon after being intubated at the K.H.M.H. Kenneth was also intubated and was in need of A-positive blood from someone who had recently recovered from COVID-19. He never got the necessary blood in time, however, and died from complications from the virus just 18 hours later. It has come quite as a shock to many Belizeans that even healthcare professionals, tasked with fighting for persons battling with COVID-19, have now become victims of this disease themselves.
While Vega had an official funeral in Corozal, a motorcade and candlelight were held in tribute of the twin doctors. A firetrucks, numerous ambulance vehicles, as well as other cars paraded through the streets, horns blaring and lights flashing. Likewise, a group of persons gathered in front of the KHMH with lighted candles while others lit candles from their homes.
It is hopeful that the unfortunate deaths of these and the more than 200 other persons who have died from COVID-19 would not be in vain and would serve as a wakeup call to the Belizean people. Daily, the number of new infections, as well as fatalities, continue to increase. Belize has gone from one of the countries in the region boasting one of the lowest infection and fatality rates and within less than two months, we are now one of the countries with the highest numbers. There are currently widely circulated develop public opinion on whether a curfew should be extended or a lockdown should be implemented but whether or not those things are put into law, a slowing of this disease requires cohesive efforts. Each person needs to become fully aware and considerate of the implications of socializing, failing to wear a mask, and going out when not absolutely necessary. Only then can we expect to see a dip in the curve of COVID-19 in Belize.
