Corozal Bay Area Rep., David Vega Remains Critical

Corozal Bay area representative David “Dido” Vega remains hospitalized at Belize Healthcare Partners Limited, suffering from complications caused by the novel coronavirus. The forty-seven-year-old politician was rushed to Belize City over the weekend after he began experiencing breathing complications last week. He was first hospitalized at a clinic in Corozal, but after his condition worsened, he was rushed to Belize City. Vega was put on a ventilator to help him with his breathing. He remains intubated, but Prime Minister John Briceño says that Vega is showing signs of improvements, as doctors have managed to stabilize his oxygen levels.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“When he was found that he was positive on Wednesday, I spoke to him and he sounded pretty much normal. He said. “I feel a little bit tired Prime Minister but I am doing good”. I said I will keep in touch with you. On Friday then I found out that now he was at a small private clinic in Corozal in a way isolated from his family. Again I spoke to him and he sounded well. Again saying that I am getting therapy for my lungs and the coping and so forth and so I am taking out a lot of phlegm. But I am okay I am coping. He did not sound really sick. Saturday morning I was being informed that he was being moved. I immediately called his family and they said that he just suddenly had a turn for the worst. All of a sudden he started having problems with the breathing and so forth and they thought it was best to bring him to Belize City. So q quickly arranged for him to come to Belize Healthcare Partners and again there when he was there, they stabilized him and he was doing well all this Saturday. Then around ten, eleven I was alerted that he just again a sudden turn to the bad and they have to intubate him. So he was intubate and again normalized. Sunday morning when I hear that again he had another turn and they had problems and struggling to keep him stable. Fortunately it seems that they finally manage to stabilize him but he is still critical. SO the doctors are doing all they can and we are a people of faith so I am asking everyone to please pray for Dido Vega. He hasn’t even been sworn in as a representative which is going to be on Friday and we need to pray and keep that faith that he is going to pull through and the doctors are doing the best that they can to get him out of this crisis.”

Channel 5

Hon. Dido Ventilated, But Hanging In

And Musa also spoke on another medical matter, but this one was not about the bureaucracy, it's about life and death. That is area Rep for Corozal Bay, David "Dido" Vega's fight for his life.

As we've reported Vega remains hospitalized at Healthcare Partners, on a ventilator, suffering from severe respiratory complications due to Covid-19. And this morning Musa told us that while his colleague "Dido" remains intubated, there are some encouraging signs:

"He is at the hospital still incubated but I can report that as of yesterday, they have been seeing improvements. Yes they are slow in coming along and while you are incubated, it is extremely critical for any patient and so while it is that we have so much hope and we are happy to see the progress, at the same time we have to continue with our prayers. I know the entire country and especially the constituency of Corozal Bay are holding an uplifting by brother Dido in prayer and we are very thankful for that and the doctors and nurses at health care partners are going everything in their capacity to help out the situation and so we are very thankful for that. So yes, there has been little progress and we are happy about that but at the same time, he is still incubated and so we continue with prayers for him."

As far as has been publicly reported, only one COVID-19 patient at the KHMH recovered after being taken off the ventilator.

Channel 7

Dido has passed away.

Corozal Bay Area Representative David Dido Vega reportedly has died from complications due to COVID-19. The newly elected area representative was battling COVID-19 for days at a private facility in Belize City. He had been intubated for days as a result of the deadly disease.

Condolences to his family and friends, may he rest in peace.

PUP Rep Dies From COVID One Month After Election

He was hospitalised last week Saturday in acute respiratory distress and placed on a ventilator. And, this morning at the Belize Healthcare Partners, newly elected PUP representative, 47 year old David "Dido" Vega succumbed to respiratory failure caused by COVID 19.

It came on the same morning of the ceremonial opening of the House Of Representatives, minutes before his PUP parliamentary colleagues were about to take the oath. For Vega, a true political battler to be missing form an event he had worked so hard for, cast a dark shadow over the entire ceremony.

His death left the Prime Minister shaken and emotional - Courtney Menzies reports from Belmopan.

At 10 this morning, David "Dido" Vega was to be sworn in as the area representative of Corozal Bay. But at 9:15, he passed away - exactly a month after he was elected.

The sad news quickly turned what should have been a celebratory occasion into a gloomy one. At the swearing in ceremony, the Prime Minister, John Briceno, announced the news to the country.

Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"It is with a sad heart that I inform the nation of the passing this morning of the Honorable David Dido Vega. David, known to us as Dido, would have been swearing the same oath as we did earlier. On behalf of all of us, I extend to his family, to the people of Corozal Bay, and to the nation our heartfelt condolences to the Honorable David Vega's family. The Honorable David Vega will be given a state funeral and all flags will be flown at half mast over the entire country until the date of his funeral." (long sigh)

PM Briceno lamented the shock, and the grief, that was no doubt felt throughout the party as they remembered their colleague - who many of them described as being humble and hardworking. In fact, the PM said Vega was so concerned about his constituency, that it was one of the last things he spoke about on his hospital bed.

Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"This is a true story. The doctor that was tending to him told me that the last thing that Dido told him, cause he knows the doctor, they're both from Corozal, and he told the Doctor, you know Doctor, I have to get out from here, I have to go and dig some drains because some people are flooding. I am not making up this story, this is a God-to-honest truth."

But sadly, Vega will not get the chance to realize the plans he had for his constituency - which he won by more than 400 votes over the former representative, Pablo Marin.

His fellow Corozal Rep, Florencio Marin Jr, expressed his incredulity at the news, since he had already made plans to work alongside Vega.

Hon. Florencio Marin, Area Rep, Corozal Southeast
"About ten o' clock last night, I texted someone who was in touch with the family and he gave me nothing but good news, he said by early next week they expect to take him off the intubator and all that and I'm like, oh excellent, so I'm already planning that before the Christmas, he and I will get to sit down and plan the way forward and only for this morning for them to tell me, no, it's not looking good and then getting the news, it's just devastating."

"I could tell you that Dido was a driven individual, and determined, that guy when he put his mind to something, a team of wild horses couldn't stop him from whatever objective he put his mind too. It's so sad to get this news today, I'm still trying to process it with everything that's happened today, I'm at a loss for words."

So what happens now? Well, while his family and his political colleagues continue to grieve, a bi-election must be called. According to the law, this must happen within 21 days, but it was not something the PM wasn't willing to delve into today.

Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"What will have to happen is that there has to be a bi-electon. When? I don't know, I have to sit down and see what the law calls for. And then I guess both parties will have to go through their convention period to be able to select a candidate. But I wish not to speak too much on that, I mean Honorable Vega just died and I think we have to honor him for what he has done. He was an exemplary teacher, he reached out to a lot of young people, he was always concerned and wanting to do this for his community."

Vega, a career teacher, was the father of two daughters and a first time area representative.

As you heard the PM say, all flags will be flown at half mast until Vega's state Funeral. The UDP also extended its condolences via press release. In it, they said that they were saddened to hear the news, but it is a good reminder that the virus is indiscriminate in who it attacks.

And while the shock and sadness of his death are all too real; there is a also a practical dimension - in the case of the death of an area rep - a bye election must held in 21 days. We asked UDP leader Patrick Faber about his party's plans for that, but he declined comment, saying, "Let's mourn him at least one day." End quote.

Channel 7

David "Dido" Vega's wife Ingrid is in critical condition at Belize Healthcare Partners inBelize City with COVID-19 complications.

***INGRID VEGA ON HER WAY HOME FOR CHRISTMAS***

According to media reports Ingrid Vega, the wife of the late Hon. Dido Vega has been released from the hospital, after overcoming her battle with Covid-19 complications, and will get to spend her Christmas at home with her family.

All accounts are that she is in good spirit.

We welcome her back to our Corozal Town and may God Bless her heart and the hearts of her two daughters.

We wish her and her family a peaceful and Merry Christmas.