BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) — Belize recorded four deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours as other Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries registered increased cases of the virus that has killed and infected millions of people worldwide since December last year.

The Office of the Director of Health said that the four deaths, including one woman, were all from the Corozal district. Their ages range from 43 to 72 years. The country’s case fatality rate is now at 2.3 per cent.

According to the authorities, 67 people tested positive after 252 samples were processed, giving a positivity rate of 26.6 per cent.

Belize now has 5249 positive cases with 2, 252 being active. There have been 120 deaths associated with the virus.

In Trinidad and Tobago, the oil-rich twin island republic recorded 54 new recoveries, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 5,572.

The Ministry of Health in its latest bulletin said that the number of new cases of COVID-19 dropped to 25 in the last 24 hours. On Sunday it was reported that 126 new cases were identified in a 24-hour period with the ministry explaining that 108 of those cases came from the prison system.

The latest bulletin said that there are 737 active cases, 5,622 people who have recovered from the virus, 115 dead and 43 in hospital.

The total number of cases since the onset of the pandemic now stands at 6,475.

In St Lucia, health authorities are reporting three new cases over the past 24 hours pushing the overall total on the island to 223.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness said that the new cases were all women, ages ranging from 32 to 44 years and “at this point, the contact tracing team has not been able to establish an epidemiological link for these three cases to any of our prior cases and investigations are ongoing”.

The new total number of active cases currently in country is 115 and to date, St Lucia has recorded a total of 106 recoveries.

“The Ministry of Health reminds the public that anyone who has been tested for COVID-19 is placed in quarantine while awaiting their test result. During this time, these individual are to remain at home until they have been contacted by a health care practitioner with their test results.

“During this time, these individuals are to remain at home until they have been contacted by a health care practitioner with their test result. These individuals should not leave home for work or to attend to personal matters and no one should be visiting their homes.”

Suriname is reporting 27 active cases out of a total of 5,296 infections. In the past 24 hours, one person tested positive for the virus.

In addition, two persons were declared cured pushing the overall number to 5,168. There are currently 15 people in hospital, four in the intensive care unit.

The death toll remains at 116 and the number of non-positives in quarantine also remained unchanged at 881.

Meanwhile, Justice and Police Minister Kenneth Amoksi says there has been a decline in the number of COVID-19 offences in a number of regions of the country.

He told a news conference that in Paramaribo, for example, 511 people were arrested by the police in October, while from November 1-18, the number was 305.

But he said “we have noticed in recent days that people are going to party more and that is difficult. We should not be slack because the coronavirus is not over. There is no vaccine and we have to comply with the COVID-19 rules”.

Public Health Minister, Amar Ramadhin said that the government is doing its utmost to protect citizens against the virus, but there are people who still hold dance parties that are prohibited.

He said that he has been informed that someone was planning a pool party for Sunday.

“I immediately reported this to the justice minister and action will be taken. This indicates that we are not fully aware of the fact that there is a high chance of spreading COVID-19 at a pool party, if a person is infected with it, “Ramadhin said reiterating the call for an end to parties.

“That is not responsible”, the minister emphasised.