AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Was a Fishing Tournament a Super Spreader Event?

One event on San Pedro that is being closely looked at is the Grand Caribe Fishing Deep sea Classic Tournament that happened on the 18th and 19th of July.

This is now being called a super spreader event:

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, DHS
"We also think that the person in San Pedro that we identified on Sunday is not the index case. There is an indication that her family members actually fell ill before she became ill, so they probably were the initial index cases if you will or the initial index case and she was the last person in that immediate family to have fallen ill and she was the one we picked up. If that is the case, we are going to have to go back to retrace the steps to when this person, her partner became ill and go the 14 days before. In the event that we are following there is I think a couple of weddings that may have been involved, we do not know the amount of people in there and we are going to follow eventually if the partner of the person in San Pedro is positive today. The fishing tournament on August 18th and 19th sorry July 19th and 19th which is 3 weeks away, was 3 weeks before, so we would anticipate that the secondary contacts of whoever may have been exposed there would just, if they are going to develop signs and symptoms would have been just about the middle of this week unto early next week. If we are able to identify that then I think that we are going to have to classify that as a potential super spreader event that is the term we are going to use because one person that is how you can spread things across a country, across all geographic locations. Similar with the wedding situations we are just starting to get all that information. If people are coming from all across the country then those can be super spreading events if you will."

Fishing Tournament Attendees Stay Put And Monitor For Symptoms

So, what should you do if you attended this event, or if someone in your family did. The PM says stay put, and wait to see if symptoms appear:

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The possibility of infections of the virus having been transmitted at that event to people from Belize City and from elsewhere in the country is an extremely serious one. You heard what Dr. Manza said - the numbers there are such that you can't realistically do the regular mapping and tracking and tracing exercise, so he will have to put out a call to say to those who were at that event if you begin to see any kind of symptoms the ministry will put out the number that you can call and of course ministry personnel will go to your home to do the testing."

No Mexicans At Fishing Tournament

As far as the Commissioner of Police is concerned there were no Mexican's in attendance. That's the info he got from Commanding officer Chris Noble. He told us how that conversation went earlier today.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"You know we have heard all sorts of allegations and the easiest thing to do is to make allegations but when we have allegations that is not substantiated with evidence then there is little we can do. I have heard the allegations myself and I personally contacted the officer in charge of San Pedro, Mr. Noble and I asked him the question and Mr. Noble assured me that there were no Mexicans at the tournament. As a matter of fact, he said on the day in question that they did get information that Mexicans were in the tournament and he personally went to check the individuals who they were saying were Mexicans and they were Belizeans so as to where this information is coming from, I don't know. I can also tell you that the coast guard were out at sea ensuring that there was no breach of the border water ways between Xcalak and San Pedro, so if it is that Mexicans were there, I can't say but going by what I have been briefed from Mr. Noble and from what I have heard from the coast guard I don't see how Mexican could be there but if anyone has any evidences to show that Mexican were there please for Christ sake bring it forward and stop making speculations or accusations without proof."

Channel 7

Private Flight Landed in Belize for Fishing Tournament

While that private jet clearly did not land in Belize, there are reports of a private flight into Belize.  According to reports, the private flight carried the family of a well-known Belizean businessman with ties to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Prime Minister Dean Barrow was asked for comment, but did not elaborate.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

"I don't know of any private flight coming in for the fishing tournament. I said with these things I would expect that Judith would be one of the persons in the know, in the loop and she as well-you've just heard me ask her-she as well knows of no such flight. So not to our knowledge, sir."

Duane Moody

"In terms of the event that was happening out in San Pedro at the Grand Caribe, at the fishing tournament. We have confirmed that several public officers including the Attorney General attended one of the events there and there are photos showing that there were no social distancing, masks, quarantine laws were not enforced. Is this of a concern for you, sir?"

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

"If it were true, but my understanding is that the Attorney General may have been on the island at the same time the fishing tournament was taking place, but that he did not attend or participate in the fishing tournament."

Channel 5

Fishing Tournament Was Not Super Spreader

The Grand Caribe Fishing Deep sea Classic Tournament that happened on the 18th and 19th of July was not, after all, a super spreader event.

Dr. Manzanero backtracked on that on Friday:

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services

"We have not been able to ascertain that that was a super spreader event. I think we are linking more to patient number 57. That fishing tournament was more than 3 weeks ago. We are looking at events primarily over the last 7-10 days. We have linked potentially 19 persons to that one cluster. We have community transmission. Right now, I don't know if it's going to make sense from a epidemiological standpoint to try to go and find out where that case originated. We have to contain what is already happening in San Pedro."

Channel 7

There was no private flight with Texans joining the fishing tournament, there was no super spreader event caused by the tournament, there were no Mexicans imported to join the tournament. There may have been one person who had covid10 who was an angler on a boat, out at deep sea during the event. Patient 57 did not attend the fishing tournament event at all and in fact her symptoms were noted as being over a week after the event. BUT the damage, bad press, rumors and fake news have caused irreparable harm to the reputation of the event organizers and the unsubstantiated suppositions and blame that has surrounded this event, which has now been proven to be unfounded has caused much distress, especially to the staff who worked tirelessly to ensure that the tournament was a safe, happy experience for all who attended or were involved. Although any public apologies are unlikely, if you were one of the malicious spreaders of untruths and fake news and you see a Grand Caribe employee who has had his/her job jeopardized by this slander please do give them a moment and a kind word.

The participants of the tournament were mainly all members of the Belize Game Fishing Association and as such live, work and play in the respective pandemic bubbles. No one wants to get infected and all made their decisions regarding wearing masks, social distancing etc and in retrospect, many realize that they could have been more cautious and the clusters of covid19 around the country is a harsh reminder that this is an invisible threat.

Many lessons have been learned and more are no doubt going to unfold over the next few months.

All in all we know, let's be kind, be safe, follow the protocols and let's not spread cruel rumours and let's support those who especially need understanding and compassion during this challenging time that is heavily and negatively impacting our health, safety and livelihoods.

Thank you Amanda.... Well said.... Going forward let us all be kind to each other and please DEAR GOVERNMENT: Do not make speculative announcements, please wait until you have all the facts.