Nearly 60 Cuban medical professionals, working to assist Belize to contain the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, have returned home on Wednesday (Janaury 20).

Minister of Health and Wellness, Michel Chebat, in a early-morning ceremony before their departure, thanked the Henry Reeves Brigade and the wider Cuban people for all the work and support given by the members of the delegation.

All 59 members of the Cuban brigade received certificates of appreication.

“He also thanked the Cuban Government for this cooperation offer, especially at a time when Belize, along with many other small countries, were faced with unprecedented challenges that came with a new disease that continues to evolve, and one, nations continue to learn about daily,” the government press office noted.

The 59-member medical group arrived in Belize on March 25, 2020—back when the CARICOM country had only confirmed two COVID-19 cases—as a part of an offer by the Republic of Cuba to provide support to several countries in their response efforts to the pandemic.

The Henry Reeves Brigade departed Belize at 8:30 am (local time) from the Phillip Goldson International Airport in Belize City.

The ministry added that a new group of 29 medical professionals from Cuba is expected to arrive in Belize on Thursday, January 21.

“The Ministry of Health and Wellness is grateful for the 31 years of medical collaboration between the governments of Belize and Cuba. Belize has benefitted from training and capacity building of its human resources, as well as programs to promote health education within the communities,” the agency noted.

Present to also bid the group farewell and to provide parting remarks were Ambassador Amalia Mai, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Dr Deysi Mendez, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness; and Lissett Pérez Pérez, Ambassador of Cuba to Belize.

Belize stands among the Caribbean countries hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, recording the sixth-worst outbreak in the region.

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As at Tuesday, January 19, the Central American country confirmed 23 new cases, bringing the national tally to 11,615. Belize is currently managing 466 active cases, recording 10,866 recoveries to date, as well as 283 coronavirus-related deaths.