The PUP was elected with a massive mandate on November 11. In the two weeks since then, 54 people have died from COVID 19 related illnesses.

Those are the grim terms of an escalating healthcare crisis that's seeing the death toll increase daily.

So, after taking two weeks to settle into office - what's the PUP's plan to arrest the frightening increase in the COVID mortality rate? In short, much more testing outreach, a 15-million-dollar fund to bolster response, and a 21-day curfew starting on Saturday.

All this was unveiled at a press conference today with Minister of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat underscoring a major drive to get more rapid tests done in more communities:

Hon. Michel Chebat - Minister of Health
"The plan moving forward includes the immediate implementation and scale-up of the use of rapid tests in all district hospitals with clear testing protocols. All regional and community hospitals are now conducting rapid tests we shall be expanding test sites throughout the country and those sites will include if I can just share with you, In Orange Walk, we shall have stationary clinics at the people's stadium Louisiana area, Blue Creek, August Pine Ridge, San Felipe, Guinea Grass and San Pablo and those will be in addition to mobile clinics which will be in San Carlos, Indian Church, Trinidad, San Lazaro, Yo Creek, Fireburn, Shipyard, San Antonio, Trial Farm, Chan Pine Ridge, Carmelita, Santa Marta, San Jose Palmar, San Estevan, Douglas, Nuevo San Juan and, San Luis. In Independence, we will have at Bella vista as well and Independence, that should have been Stann Creek district my apologies, In addition, we are gonna have mobile clinics in Placencia, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Red Bank, San Juan, Tyro, and those are going to be the clinics that for the priority areas at this moment in time as we move along testing sites will be added to these."

A release later said that the Ministry will create two mobile swabbing teams for rural communities.

Implementation of New Testing Protocols

And Minister Chebat says that with more rapid testing you can expect those numbers to increase sharply:

Hon. Michel Chebat - Minister of Health
"As we move along testing sites will be added to these you can also expect shortly from the MOH, MOHW now a schedule of when the mobile clinics will be visited the district areas, additionally with the new implementation of the rapid testing in the information that is being shared with the public you can expect to see rises in numbers of positive tests and the explanation for that is a very basic one, up to now the results of the information being shared is based solely on the PCR test. Now that the rapid tests are implemented that information will be added to that infographic."

Channel 7