#covide-19 in belize

[newsbites]

The Belize Central Prison will be representing the country in April at the Epidemic Intelligence Services (EIS) Conference in Atlanta Georgia following its significant containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the prison’s medical officer, Dr Javier Novelo, submitted a research paper titled “Effectiveness of COVID-19 Surveillance System Implementation” to compete in the competition. And, two weeks ago, Novelo was informed that Belize’s submission on Field Epidemiology Training was selected from among 191 countries across the world. The 16-page academic study summarizes how the prison was able to limit the virus’s spread while utilizing minimal resources and assistance from inmates.

[ukrfeminism]

The number of women dying during pregnancy or soon after childbirth has reached its highest level in almost 20 years, according to new data. Experts have described the figures as “very worrying”.

How many women are dying?

Between 2020 and 2022, 293 women in the UK died during pregnancy or within 42 days of the end of their pregnancy. With 21 deaths classified as coincidental, 272 in 2,028,543 pregnancies resulted in a maternal death rate of 13.41 per 100,000.

This is a steep rise from the 8.79 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies in 2017 to 2019, the most recent three-year period with complete data. The death rate has increased to levels not seen since 2003 to 2005.

Where have the figures come from?

The data comes from MBRRACE-UK, which conducts surveillance and investigates the causes of maternal deaths, stillbirths and infant deaths as part of the national Maternal, Newborn and Infant Clinical Outcome Review Programme (MNI-CORP).

MNI-CORP aims to improve patient outcomes and is funded by NHS England, the Welsh government, the health and social care division of the Scottish government, the Northern Ireland Department of Health, and the states of Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man.

Why are so many women dying during or just after childbirth?

The main cause of death was thrombosis and thromboembolism, or blood clots in the veins.

The second most common cause was Covid-19. But even when deaths due to Covid were excluded, the maternal death rate for 2020 to 2022 – 11.54 per 100,000 pregnancies – remained higher than the rate for 2017 to 2019.

Heart disease and deaths related to poor mental health were also common, according to a review of the data by the Guardian.

Why is the mortality rate increasing?

The researchers behind the data project, led by Oxford Population Health’s national perinatal epidemiology unit at the University of Oxford, highlight several issues.

They say maternity systems in the UK are under pressure but also point to pre-pregnancy health and the need to tackle conditions such as obesity, as well as critical actions to work towards more inclusive and personalised care during pregnancy.

Is there any good news?

Not really. The maternal death rate among black women decreased slightly compared with 2019 to 2021, but they remain three times more likely to die compared with white women. Asian women are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or soon after compared with white women.

Are there other factors aside from health?

Absolutely. Women living in the most deprived areas of the UK have a maternal death rate more than twice that of women living in the least deprived areas.

Persisting ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities show the UK must think beyond maternity care to address the “underlying structures” that impact health before, during and after pregnancy, such as housing, education and access to healthy environments, said Dr Nicola Vousden, co-chair of the women’s health specialist interest group for the Faculty of Public Health.

Are deaths during pregnancy only increasing in the UK?

No. Maternal death rates are rising in many countries, yet this alarming trend has not been seriously addressed by governments and healthcare systems worldwide.

Rates have doubled in the US over the last two decades, with deaths highest among black mothers, a study in Journal of the American Medical Association found. Indigenous women had the greatest increase.

It is difficult to compare precise death rates between countries because the data is not uniform. But other countries seeing substantial rises in rates include Venezuela, Cyprus, Greece, Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Belize, and the Dominican Republic.

What can be done to reverse the trend?

Urgent action is needed to bolster the quality of maternal healthcare, ensure it is accessible to all, and repair the damage inflicted by the pandemic on women’s healthcare services more generally.

Clea Harmer, the chief executive of bereavement charity Sands, said improving maternity safety also needs to be at the top of the UK’s agenda.

The government said it was committed to ensuring all women received safe and compassionate care from maternity services, regardless of their ethnicity, location or economic status.

Anneliese Dodds, the shadow women and equalities secretary, said Labour would seek to reverse the “deeply concerning” maternal mortality figures by training thousands more midwives and health visitors and incentivising continuity of care for women during pregnancy.

NHS England said it had made “significant improvements” to maternity services but acknowledged “further action” was needed. It has introduced maternal medical networks and specialist centres to improve the identification of potentially fatal medical conditions in pregnancy.

[global-research-report]

Sodium Nitrate Market: Applications, Innovations, and Growth Drivers

The global sodium nitrate market size is expected to reach USD 167.7 million by 2030, and is expected to expand at 5.9% CAGR from 2023 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Industry growth is majorly driven by the rising usage of sodium nitrate in fertilizers, wherein, it provides the plants with a water-soluble form of nitrogen without altering the pH level of the soil, thus promoting the growth of plants. Additionally, it is used in explosives, food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and others.

The increasing processed variety in the food & beverage industry, due to rising demand for convenience foods has resulted in increased demand for sodium nitrate. It is used as a preservative and color fixative in poultry, ham, sausages, and cured meats thus, controlling lipid oxidation, providing distinctive flavor, and acting as an anti-micro bacterial agent.

Nitric acid manufactured from nitrogen dioxide and ammonia is subject to intense supply and price volatility in the global sodium nitrate industry. The fluctuations in the supply and price of the aforementioned raw materials are expected to affect the prices of sodium nitrate over the forecast period. The spread of the pandemic has crippled economies worldwide and impacted the supply chains across different industries.

The production and consumption of sodium nitrate are highly influenced by its usage in the end-use industries thus, with the shutting down of economies the end-use industries have also come to a halt affecting the demand for the product market. However, food & beverage being an essential industry witnessed growth even during the pandemic resulting in the positive growth of sodium nitrate.

Sodium Nitrate Market Report Highlights

The global market is estimated to advance with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% from 2023 to 2030. This is attributed to the increased usage of the product in explosives, fertilizers, chemicals, and the food & beverage industry

It is used majorly in plants such as sugarcane, wheat, corn, and soybean as it provides the crops with essential nitrogen nutrients by supplying them with water-soluble nitrogen without altering the pH of the soil

Central & South America dominated the global market in 2022 with a revenue share of over 32.0% in 2022. This is attributed to a large amount of unexploited agricultural land in the area with large-scale production of soybean, pulses, and sugarcane which require sodium nitrate-based fertilizers for better yield

Agriculture sector accounts for half of the GDP of countries in Central & South America including Argentina, Bolivia Belize, Haiti, Dominica, Paraguay, and Ecuador. As the agriculture sector is a key contributor to the GDP of the countries in the region, it leads to increased consumption of fertilizers

Industrial grade dominated the product segment with a revenue share of over 89.0% in 2022. This growth is attributed to the increasing usage of the product as a complement to ammonium nitrate in explosives, chemicals, glass, and fertilizers

Fertilizer in the application segment dominated the global market with a revenue share of over 69.0% in 2022. This is attributed to the increasing demand for food crops due to the rising population

According to the Indian ministry of finance’s economic survey, the agricultural and allied industries exhibited the most resiliency to COVID-19 as it reported a growth of 3.6% in 2020-21, and 3.9% in 2021-22 in India

The agricultural sector of the U.S. contributed 5.0% of the total country’s GDP due to the rising demand for food in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thus, this increasing demand for food crops is expected to increase the usage of fertilizers

Sodium Nitrate Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global sodium nitrate market based on grade, application, and region:

Sodium Nitrate Grade Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Industrial

Pharmaceutical

Food

Sodium Nitrate Application Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Chemicals

Fertilizers

Explosives

Glass

Pharmaceuticals

Food & Beverages

Others

Sodium Nitrate Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

North America

US

Canada

Mexico

Europe

Germany

UK

France

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Central & South America

Brazil

Chile

Peru

Middle East & Africa

South Africa

Saudi Arabia

Order a free sample PDF of the Sodium Nitrate Market Intelligence Study, published by Grand View Research.

[cassowariess]

To give an example: We all know colonialism is bad. The problem is I've seen some people on this website (and twitter) say shit like "all tourism/travelling is a form of colonialism" with their whole chest. "Especially ecotourism." Maybe they're using Hawaii as a frame of reference and trying to fit a square peg in a round hole for everywhere else.*

Look, I am a dual national who grew up in Belize. The majority of my family is from Belize, including my mum. Specifically an island off the coast of Belize. The vast majority of Belize's economy is dependant on ecotourism. (It used to be agriculture, but that is no longer the case.)

During the Covid-19 lockdowns, for obvious reasons, no tourists were allowed on the island/mainland. The Belizean government was sent international monetary aid but pocketed the majority of it, which meant a lot of people were screwed financially. My uncles and dad sent some money home to extended family so they could buy food, as did other people's family's abroad.

It was a hard time. The country is back open for tourists again and thriving.

We WANT tourists there. Tour guides, dive masters, artisans, restaurants, etc all depend on the tourist dollar.

There is, however, another level to this, which is that recently a lot of rich Americans have been buying land and building homes there and trying to fence off the beach in front of their home, which isn't allowed. The government also sold off OTHER PEOPLE'S land to Americans. These are the people who do a lot of damage locally. They think they are entitled to everything.

We are happy to have tourists. Heck, we're even happy to have Americans moving there if they integrate with society and don't treat the place like they own it/take stuff that doesn't belong to them, but the other kind? Vile.

Having said all that, my point is the rich Americans buying Belizean land are enabled by a very corrupt government. I despise the narrative on this hellsite that all countries are innocent little places that are only made bad by White People. Our government is corrupt because they choose to be corrupt. No one is twisting their arm. Do you really think the bribes the rich Americans give them go to the people? Bitch, please.

*I'm not gonna presume everything I see online about Hawaii is true either. I don't live there, and I've seen far too many posts about various countries that are spoken through a western mouthpiece. Sometimes you have to admit you don't know shit about a country, and might never know unless you live there.

Sometimes I wonder if being a mixed race kid with dual nationality gave me a better perspective on the world. Like, it's easier to respect nuance when you're caught between two worlds.

[belizedailynews-blog]

29 New COVID-19 cases Detected

New Post has been published on https://belizedailynews.com/29-new-covid-19-cases-detected/

29 New COVID-19 cases Detected

A total of 252 tests were processed today with 29 new cases identified.

The distribution is as follows:

Corozal – 14 (7 in town, 1 Louisville, 1 Progresso, 1 San Andres, 1 Caledonia, 1 Libertad, 1 Chan Chen, 1 Chunox)

Belize – 4 (3 in city, 1 from Calcutta in Corozal)

Cayo – 5 (all in Belmopan)

Stann Creek – 1 (Bella Vista)

Toledo – 5 (all from Big Falls)

We have 31 cases recovered so that our active cases now stand at 34.2% of the total cases.

This week follow our activities on this and other social media forums to address the topic of chronic diseases and its link to COVID-19.

Follow MOH to stay updated!

[trendingbelizenews]

GOB advises COVID-19 unemployment recipients to protect their TOP-CARDS

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/ojP9ua

GOB advises COVID-19 unemployment recipients to protect their TOP-CARDS

The Government  of Belize advises persons receiving COVID-19 unemployment relief payments through top-up cards are to protect their top-up cards ,along with their Personal Identification Numbers(PIN),to prevent fraud or theft.

BELIZE PRESS OFFICE

•Phone: 822-0094 or 0092 •Fax: 822-2671 • website: ww•.belize.zov.bz

PRESS RELEASE Unemployment Relief Top-up Cards Belmopan. May 5, 2020. 11:45 a.m.

Recipients of the Government of Belize COVID-19 unemployment relief, who are receiving payments by way of top-up cards, are advised to carefully protect their top-up cards and Personal Identification Numbers (PIN). The top-up card will be used to receive additional payments during the remainder of your approved unemployment relief, which will be paid twice a month over a three-month period. Lost cards should be reported to the nearest Social Security Board (SSB) office as early as possible. Please be advised that a $10.00 fee is required for a replacement card and PIN. This process may take several days.

Recipients are also advised that after several attempts at using an incorrect PIN, the ATM will seize your card. The bank will return the card to the SSB who Al re-issue the card on the presentation of proper identification. Furthermore, recipients are encouraged to cooperate with persons calling to rectify banking information. Your cooperation in providing the correct banking information is crucial to ensuring receipt of your unemployment relief funds.

Ends

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil donates sanitizing alcohol gel to Belize Ministry of Health and Wellness

Оn Dесеmbеr 12, 2022, thе Міnіѕtrу оf Неаlth аnd Wеllnеѕѕ rесеіvеd а dоnаtіоn оf 1,200 bохеѕ (14,000 tоnѕ) оf ѕаnіtіzіng аlсоhоl-gеl frоm thе Еmbаѕѕу оf thе Fеdеrаl Rерublіс оf Вrаzіl аnd thе Раn Аmеrісаn Неаlth Оrgаnіzаtіоn/Wоrld Неаlth Оrgаnіzаtіоn (РАНО/WНО).

Тhе Міnіѕtrу nоtеd thаt thіѕ dеrmаtоlоgісаllу t��ѕtеd ѕаnіtіzіng аlсоhоl-gеl, whісh іѕ расkаgеd іn а 1,156 ml bоttlе (еquіvаlеnt tо 39 fluіd оz.) аnd соntаіnѕ а mоіѕturіzеr, fіghtѕ thе соrоnаvіruѕ аnd kіllѕ 99.9% оf bасtеrіа.

Тhrоugh thе аѕѕіѕtаnсе оf thе Вrаzіlіаn Соореrаtіоn Аgеnсу, РАНО/WНО сооrdіnаtеd thе асquіѕіtіоn, trаnѕроrtаtіоn аnd dеlіvеrу оf thе ѕаnіtіzіng аlсоhоl-gеl tо Веlіzе.

Continue reading.

[chaddavisphotography]

"Kindly wash hands keep masks on until seated Thank you" sign outside a restaurant in San Pedro, Belize.

[jaynezak]

Twenty Five Things I Want To Do in 2021

Twenty Five Things I Want To Do in 2021

25 Things I Want To Do in 2021 “Speaking of the happy new year, I wonder if any year ever had less chance of being happy. It’s as though the whole race were indulging in a kind of species introversion — as though we looked inward on our neuroses. And the thing we see isn’t very pretty… So we go into this happy new year, knowing that our species has learned nothing, can, as a race, learn nothing —…

[w0rldwanderlust]

Travel Insurance: Know What You Need

Where is Travel Insurance Required?

Travel insurance isn’t just an add-on to try to scoop more of your money. 60 countries now require tourists to carry at least a minimum level of travel insurance, with 12 having made the rule just in the past year due to COVID-19. As borders reopen, some of them prematurely due to the economic pressures of losing all tourist revenue, some countries – particularly smaller ones like Bermuda,…

[newsbites]

News from Belize 9 May 2023

Belize bolsters immunization

2. Family of 4 arrested after gun found

3. Belizeans are still taking Covid precautions

4. Karate students win prizes in Mexico

[belizedailynews-blog]

50 new Cases of COVID-19

New Post has been published on https://belizedailynews.com/50-new-cases-of-covid-19/

50 new Cases of COVID-19

A total of 311 tests were processed with 50 new cases identified.

They are distributed as follows: Orange Walk – 25 (9 Town, 4 Carmelita, 4 Trinidad, 1 August Pine Ridge, 1 San Antonio, 2 San Lazaro, 1 Guinea Grass, 1 Trial Farm, 1 Yo Creek, 1 from Toledo District)

Belize – 11 (7 City, 1 Ladyville, 1 Rhaburn Ridge, 1 Maskall, 1 from Carmelita in OW)

Cayo – 13 (3 San Ignacio, 3 San Jose Succotz, 3 Belmopan, 3 Unitedville, 1 Ontario)

Toledo- 1 Laguna

We have a total of 62 recovered cases.

Unfortunately we have another death to report, this is in a male in his late 70s who had been admitted at KHMH’s ICU.

Our percentage of active cases now stands at 36% of total confirmed cases.

[trendingbelizenews]

Zero Active COVID-19 cases for Belize

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/fARyNF

Zero Active COVID-19 cases for Belize

COVID – 19 Current Update:

This is our data for today.

We can now confirm that our last two active cases have recovered as their second test is now negative!

We however, need to continue to exercise the preventive measures across all sectors as the numbers with our neighbours continue to go up.

Neighbouring Guatemala up to yesterday has reported 730 cases with 46 cases being in the Eastern (includes Peten) part of Guatemala and the neigbhouring state of Quintana Roo is reporting 956 cases up until midday today with a total of 24 cases in the neighbouring municipality of Othon P. Blanco (Chetumal included in this data).

We need a community effort as we move along to prevent any more cases of COVID-19.

[elcorreografico]

Fernández recibió al director para el Hemisferio Occidental del Consejo de Seguridad Nacional de los Estados Unidos

#AlbertoFernández recibió al director para el #HemisferioOccidental del #ConsejodeSeguridadNacional de los #EstadosUnidos #Política #Exterior #Argentina #Nacionales

El presidente Alberto Fernández recibió el martes una carta de su par de los Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, que le hicieron llegar el director para el Hemisferio Occidental del Consejo de Seguridad Nacional de ese país, Juan González, y la subsecretaria interina para Asuntos del Hemisferio Occidental del Departamento de Estado, Julie Chung, con quienes mantuvo un almuerzo de forma virtual.En el texto…

[chaddavisphotography]

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize

[princesscatherinemiddleton]

The Cambridge Family in 2022 ♛

Well, that sure was a year! First things first, I did in fact kill the Queen (sorry!), meaning we have a new King and a new Prince and Princess of Wales. As part of the events following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, we saw numerous public walkabouts (x, x), as well as many events with foreign diplomats and royals (x, x, x). The Queen's death followed her hugely successful Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which included a surprise George and Charlotte appearance in Cardiff, and Prince Louis stealing the show at the pageant. William and Catherine undertook a number of overseas trip this year: William began with a visit to Dubai; Catherine then visited Denmark as part of her work on the Early Years; the couple visited Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas in a controversial tour; and a final overseas visit to Boston, on behalf of the Earthshot Prize. The Cambridge family - now known as the Wales family - also experienced some personal highs. The family moved their main home from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage, in Windsor, and George, Charlotte and Louis began their new school year at Lambrook School. William and Catherine also gained a new niece, as Catherine's sister Pippa gave birth to another daughter, called Rose. The couple were able to experience some sporting highs, with the Princess of Wales becoming Patron of the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League in February, and attending a Six Nations match shortly after. She also attended the Sailing Grand Prix. The couple also attended Wimbledon together twice (x, x) (with Catherine also going alone once), as well as the Commonwealth Games. William was also able to see football finally come home, with the Lionesses' winning the 2022 Euros. With Covid-19 finally beginning to retreat and the BRF experiencing a new beginning, I hope the Wales family continue to flourish next year.