PLEASE READ THE TOPIC....IMPORTANT SUGGESTION

I just spoke to Nellie Gomez in San Pedro. She reports that there are NO reported incidents of water or food borne or mosquito borne diseases.
Public health inspectors are walking door to door telling people to disinfect their water, wash their hands, don't dump trash in the lagoon, sea, or near wells.
There are many people who have colds or respiratory problems caused by mold, mildew and too many people in close quarters.
There is an odor problem and she is not sure what the timeline is for getting waste disposal on track or where it will be dumped.
Medical supplies and doctors are readily available should they be needed.

Great to see these topics. I am heading down to Caye Caulker with my daughter next week, and would really appreciate any news about health conditions there.

Ellen, I hope you are not planning on going as a tourist. From everything that has been posted, Caye Caulker is in no condition to receive any tourists and won't be for several weeks. Many people lost their homes, many hotels and guest houses wrecked or seriously damaged, and the infrastructure is in worse shape than Ambergris Caye. No power anywhere, last I read...only residents and relief workers are being allowed in, last I heard.
I encourage you to read the messages on this bulletin board and if you are not a relief worker or coming "home" to your own house there to change your plans. Click "search" and type in "Caye Caulker"....
I sure hope that travel agents in the US and elsewhere are not just sitting back and letting people continue with their plans to visit Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker in the next couple of weeks as though nothing had happened.

Situation Report No. 8 Belize - Mexico - "Kei




Posted by OCHA on Oct-11-00 9:50pm from 206.96.54.17

OCHA Situation Report No. 8
Belize - Mexico - Hurricane "Keith"
11 October 2000


Situation

1. The UNDP sub-Office in Belize reports that extensive flooding
continues, with floodwaters rising in areas along the rivers in the Orange
Walk and Corozal districts and subside slowly in the upstream villages of
the Belize district. Some access roads villages are under up to 6-7 feet
of water and villages have been completely cut off. The largest immediate
and long term concern now is for those in flooded areas where water should
remain for weeks due to the low lands and poor drainage. Transportation is
restricted except by boat in some areas and evacuation from villages in
affected areas continue. The state of emergency continues nation-wide.
The dusk to dawn curfew continues only for the islands of San Pedro and
Caye Caulker.

2. A consolidated needs and damage assessment is expected until the end
of the week. Latest reports indicate:

- Road and bridge infrastructures - The Western highway still has a few
inches of water in one section but is open to almost all traffic. However,
the flood-waters on the Northern highway are rising with over two feet
reported in some areas just before Orange Walk Town going northwards.

- Agriculture - Damage to domestic and export crops is still increasing
and will have long lasting effects.

- Tourism - While damage assessment to the tourism sector continues,
rehabilitation/reconstruction activities have already begun.

- Health- The threat of diseases related to dead animals, contaminated
water and food is very high. Reports of sanitation-related diseases such
as skin infections, diarrhea and food poisoning are on the increase. A
major preventative health campaign has begun.


Emergency requirements

3. The Government of Belize issued a preliminary list of emergency
supplies, which includes, inter alia, building materials, electric
generators, food and clean water. This list is available at OCHA Internet
Website at http://www.reliefweb.int and a hard copy may be provided by
OCHA upon request.

4. Medical needs are being assessed by the Pan-American Health
Organization (PAHO/WHO) Office in Belize. Questions related to the
existing medical needs can be addressed to the PAHO/WHO Office in
Belmopan, Belize: telephone number: 501-2-44885 and fax number:
501-2-30917.

5. According to the National Management Emergency Organization (NEMO),
donors interested in making cash contributions for this emergency can do
it through "Hurricane Keith Relief Fund" accounts, set up by all Belize
Embassies/Missions abroad.


International Assistance

6. The UN Emergency Disaster Management Team continues to coordinate the
UN response from the UN House in the capital, Belmopan.

7. The World Food Program (WFP) adviser from the WFP regional office in
Nicaragua will be presenting his report and recommendations soon. PAHO/WHO
continues to work closely with the Health Committee of NEMO. The report
from broader (PAHO) rapid needs assessment is presently being prepared.

8. The two SUMA trainers and local trainees have set up the management
system for international assistance. The system should begin to produce
useful information early this week.


Contributions reported to OCHA

9. A list of cash and in kind contributions reported to OCHA, as of 11
October 2000, is attached to the present situation report.

10. OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be
used for immediate relief assistance, in coordination/consultation with
relevant organizations in the United Nations system. Funds should be
transferred to OCHA account No. CO-590.160.0, Swift code: UBSWCHZ12A at
the UBS AG, P.O. Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with reference: OCHA - Belize
- Hurricane "Keith". OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and
pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.

11. For coordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA
Geneva, as indicated below, on relief missions/pledges/contributions and
their corresponding values by item.

12. Any future updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by
clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on
the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested
to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of
corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva
of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized
Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above
mentioned Financial Tracking Website.

13. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int


Current thread:

Situation Report No. 8 Belize - Mexico - "Kei OCHA Oct-11-00 9:50pm

Thanks!....good site...bookmarked it.

Susan
I appreciate your concern. Your note would have been most helpful to me if I were a tourist and couldn't read the information in this website. It is important for me to understand the state of health on Caye Caulker or I would not be requesting information. I hope anyone with more information will continue to report on this topic as I am checking it daily for updates. Thank you.

I'm a bit confused. Susangg reports no increase in deseases and 7 hrs. later Max reports diseases on the rise. Is this because Susangg is reporting specific to San Pedro and Max is reporting mainland information?

Also, does anyone know enough about the malaria issue to answer this one:
Prior to the hurricaine I was told Ambergris and Blackbird Caye and central costal Belize had no incidence of malaria. With standing water there is obviously risk of increased mosquito population which, in a malaria area would increase the risk of catching malaria. However, if you have standing water, thus more mosquitos in a non-malaria, tropical area would there be a chance that that area is now a risk for malaria? It seems to me that if malaria wasn't a risk before it still isn't but, I don't know for sure.

That is true. We don't have reported cases of Malaria here on A.C.
This is the info I got from one of the Dr.s here.
Both Malaria and Dengue are transmitted by mosquitos that have been infected from biting a person with the disease.....and then moving on to bite the next victim.
Mosquitos usually travel travel in a small confined area under normal conditions.
In other words...your backyard would be an area that harbours the same group all the time.

We do not have any cases of either of these diseases right now...so it is very unlikely that we will see any new cases.

However.....in hurricane conditions....they have been know to be blown in on the high winds from other areas.

For this reason....they have already been spraying for Malaria and Dengue as a precautionary measure so we don't come up with even one case.

Seems to be working so far