BELIZE CITY, Mon. Aug. 10, 2020– On Saturday, August 8, the Diocesan Education Board – Managing Authority with responsibility for All Saints’ School — notified the public via a press release that one of their educators had tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the release, the teacher was showing symptoms, but was remaining calm and self-isolating.
The Diocesan board also contacted other educators who were in contact with the teacher during the prior week, and have reportedly made arrangements to sanitize the school based on guidance from health officials.
Later that day, the teacher identified herself and shared her story —something that a number of other persons infected with the virus have been doing for the sake of public awareness and safety. Ms. Vanessa Gladden bravely described her experience on her personal Facebook page:
“My positive test results came as a shock to me, as I have always been an advocate for the wearing of masks, social distancing and practicing good hygiene. I do this because I have an asthmatic son and mother. The symptoms are present and at times unbearable, but I am trying my best to keep calm and carry through with my treatment,” she posted.
In addition to Gladden’s post, a local deejay, Rudolph Anthony Gladden, known as “DJ Junyah,” has also made public statements about his COVID-19 status, in relation to that of Vanessa Gladden’s.
In his own Facebook post, the entertainer explained that he is the brother of the teacher and he had been in contact with another person from San Pedro who recently tested positive. His post reads:
“Hey, good evening, I have been getting calls and text asking if I have COVID-19. As far as I know, I nuh even tek the test yet due to the fact that I am not showing symptoms, but because I have been in San Pedro and had been in contact with Dj Smallz and my sister, who is the teacher, was tested positive, we are set that I will be taking the test tomorrow. As far as I am with health, I am 100% good and active. As my results are in, I will inform the public and I am in self-isolation at the moment.”
If Mr. Gladden’s results do in fact come back positive, it would be the confirmation of another case resulting from one of the three clusters in San Pedro.
On Monday, the Office of the Director of Health Services indicated that the origins of these clusters include a mass gathering at the Allure nightclub that occurred between July 16 and 19, which accounts for about 42% of San Pedro’s active cases; a church service conducted by the Living Word Church around mid-July; and interaction among workers at Medina’s Construction Site in San Pedro.
The third cluster poses the biggest threat for the spreading of the virus from San Pedro, as multiple workers had left the island before being tested, in advance of the lockdown of the island, which took effect on Friday, August 7.