Santo Domingo (EFE).- The Dominican Republic is going through an “Pandemic outbreak of dengue”, with almost a thousand suspected cases in a little more than a week, according to figures offered this Wednesday by the Ministry of Public Health, which confirmed four deaths for this reason, while another 17 deaths are under investigation.
So far this year, according to the Health Ministry, 6,111 suspected cases of dengue have been registered, that is, 966 more than those officially reported until August 28.
Of a total of 42 probable dengue deaths, 4 were confirmed (all minors), 21 were ruled out and 17 are still being analyzed, said the Dominican Vice Minister of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez, at a press conference, who admitted that there is an outbreak. in an area of the capital, Santo Domingo Norte, noting that the most affected people are currently between 10 and 19 years old.
Only in the Hugo Mendoza Pediatric Hospital, in Santo Domingo, there are 83 admitted, explained at the same event the director of that sanatorium, Dr. Dhamelisse Then, who warned the population that this disease can be “lethal” if it is not reached. in time to a healthcare center.
Increase in hospital beds and other measures
Given the current scenario, the health authorities are increasing the number of beds in hospitals, said the Dominican Minister of Public Health, Daniel Rivera. He detailed part of the efforts made in response to this situation.
“We are not going to let our guard down. We must be on top of this,” Rivera stressed, although he indicated that “the most important thing is that there are no breeding grounds” for mosquitoes.
The Dominican Medical College (CMD) stated the day before that “there is dengue throughout the country” and “a large outbreak” is looming over the Dominican Republic, which is why it urged the authorities to take the necessary measures to combat the proliferation of Aedes aegypti. , a mosquito that transmits this disease and others such as chikungunya and zika.
In this regard, the infectologist and pediatrician Clemente Terreros believes that we are “facing an emerging and expanding Pandemic.” And the Dominican hospital system is not fully prepared to face it due to “space limitations.”
Given the increase in the incidence of dengue in recent weeks, which has begun to set off alarm bells, the Government has to develop a strategic plan “involving the different State institutions that have to do with this problem”, as well as the private company and civil society organizations, the specialist, with extensive experience in the treatment of dengue, told EFE.
dengue figures
The first thing is to “eliminate the breeding sites,” he stated, “start a garbage collection campaign” and develop prevention and health promotion actions.
But for Terrero, the fumigation, the removal of scrap metal and the orientation to citizens are only “partial measures” that must be combined with others such as “organizing and preparing hospital services so that they provide timely and adequate care, in such a way that overwhelm the situation”, and work in primary care.
He stressed that until August the contagion figures were very similar to those registered in 2022, with a “slow and moderate” evolution. But “the problem began two weeks ago” when a “quite explosive situation began to occur, and that is what worries us.”
Public Health maintains the epidemiological alert issued on May 24 and urges families to eliminate possible breeding sites and keep environments clean. Spread chlorine on the tanks and containers where water is stored, covering them well to prevent the larvae that become mosquitoes from reproducing.
The incidence of dengue usually increases in the summer months, which coincide with the most humid season in the Caribbean, which facilitates the proliferation of Aedes aegypti.
