Santo Domingo.- The clinical symptoms of dengue can be confused with other diseases ranging from leptospirosis to hepatitis, which is why it is important to perform a comprehensive medical evaluation of the patient and laboratory tests.

This is what the infectologist Elianet Castillo, from the Centro Médico de Diabetes, Obesidad y Especialidades (CEMDOE) warns when referring to the current epidemic outbreak of dengue that is affecting the country and that is leading to a high demand for medical attention.

The specialist explained that it is important to know that dengue is characterized by symptoms of fever, headache, retro ocular pain, general malaise, rash, joint pain and muscle pain.

These symptoms and signs, he said, can be confused with other diseases that are also part of the country’s local epidemiology, such as malaria, chikungunya, zika and leptospirosis,” he explained.

He explained that when the patient with dengue presents alarm signs such as nausea, persistent vomiting and abdominal pain it could represent a challenge because it could also be confused with other infectious diseases affecting the gastrointestinal system such as hepatitis or inflammation of specific organs such as the gall bladder (cholecystitis) and the appendix (appendicitis).

Malaria and Leptospirosis

Castillo pointed out that in the case of malaria, chikungunya and zika, they also present with fever. “Generally, compared to dengue, they do not cause as many alterations at the hematological level and do not usually cause as much morbi-mortality.”

He said that leptospirosis, which usually increases its incidence after heavy rains and floods, can present symptoms very similar to dengue, and being a bacterial disease requires treatment with antibiotics to prevent progression to its terminal stage called Weil’s syndrome where severe kidney and liver damage occurs, reaching a 50% mortality rate.

This shows, added the specialist, the importance of a comprehensive medical evaluation and the performance of the necessary laboratories to reach an accurate diagnosis and thus speed up the appropriate treatment of the patient.

Santo Domingo.- The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera, together with the provincial authorities of the ministry, led this Saturday a day of fumigation and decacharrización in various neighborhoods of the Gurabo sector, north of this municipality, as a prevention against dengue and other vector-borne diseases such as leptospirosis.

The activity, organized by the Provincial Directorate One, directed by Dr. Adalberto Peña, included the communities of Los Platanitos, La Chichigua, Los Cajuiles, streets 7, 19, 20, and a part of the Gurabo River, among others, where there have been some suspected cases of dengue.

Minister Rivera said that on instructions from President Luis Abinader and Vice President Raquel Peña, Public Health continues to work on the prevention and promotion of programs to combat diseases and that, thanks to this effort, in the country at this time there are no reports of cases of Zika and Chikungunya, while leptospirosis and cholera are controlled.

Rivera called on the population to cooperate with the authorities by covering their tanks at home by smearing chlorine to avoid breeding the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits dengue.

He also thanked the president of the Dominican Municipal League (LMD), Víctor D’Aza, the mayor of La Vega and president of the Dominican Federation of Municipalities (Fedomu), Kelvin Cruz, so that the municipalities are integrated into the conference and contribute to the cleaning, eliminating improvised landfills where water accumulates and the mosquito is produced.

Rivera also highlighted the work, dedication, dedication, and effort of doctors, nurses, and epidemiologists in each preventive day carried out by the Ministry of Health throughout the country.

“An uncovered water tank can produce up to 120 mosquitoes per day, which would be difficult to control,” said the official, who added that the epidemiological fence will be maintained for at least four more weeks until the temperature change occurs.

The minister and president of the Health Cabinet recalled that dengue is endemic in the country and the Americas. He said the disease had been declared a WHO and PAHO alert for the El Niño phenomenon and global warming, increasing the highest incidence of the disease in countries such as Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, which have suffered remarkable historical elevations.

In addition to Minister Rivera and the provincial manager One, Adalberto Peña, the regional director of Health, Dr. Virgilio Gutiérrez, the person in charge of DPS 3, Dr. Carolina Núñez and the professional and technical team of DPS 2, representing Dr. Pedro Felipe, they participated in the day.

Lethality and suspected cases

The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera, explained that the lethality of dengue cases in the country is currently 0.04%, a low proportion compared to last year for the same date. He said the most significant concern of detected issues is registered in Santo Domingo Norte. About Santiago, the official indicated that this province does not have a high incidence. He reported that until this Saturday, 26 cases had been said, that is, half that occurred last year about the disease.

Vulnerable population

Minister Rivera reported that the population most vulnerable to contracting dengue are people between 9 and 19 years old, especially those previously suffering from the disease.

He said that the mosquito that transmits the dengue virus attacks more in the lower limbs because it is always under the table and bed. He noted that the mosquito is more attracted to the person with type O blood.

Zero self-medication

Rivera urged people who present fever during this epidemiological alert not to self-medicate and go to public and private health centers, where he said there are specialists trained to provide service. He recalled that going to the doctor promptly prevents severe cases and deaths.

The most significant number of admissions is at the Hugo Mendoza pediatric hospital, with 93 children in bed, while the Robert Reid Cabral hospital had 51 as of yesterday afternoon. In the emergency rooms of public and private centers, cases of sick people are constantly arriving. Other hospitals with a high influx of patients are the General de la Plaza de la Salud, with 38 patients admitted, and the Ramon de Lara military hospital, with ten adults admitted.

According to health authorities, the country is going through an epidemic outbreak of dengue fever, which has registered more than six thousand cases. However, historically, the disease has been underreported by more than 50%.

Other hospitals with patients admitted for dengue are Rodolfo de la Cruz Lora, with 20 patients; Juan Bosch, with 15, Boca Chica, with 15 more, El Almirante, with 10 and 12 at Marcelino Velez Santana.

Interventions continue
The Ministry of Public Health reported that it continues to carry out an extensive operation against cases of dengue fever in Santo Domingo North. The highest incidence of the viral disease is felt in Santo Domingo, the National District, La Vega, San Cristóbal, and Barahona. For the past few weeks, fumigation and pest control operations have increased in the municipality of Santo Domingo Norte to mitigate the cases of dengue fever registered in this district and surrounding areas. Everyone’s participation is required.

The operation seeks to prevent the spread of dengue fever through the mosquito breeding sites that generate waste and debris accumulated in yards and plots of land. The process was carried out in the neighborhood of Las 5 Esquinas de Los Guaricanos, where it began with house by house, alleyways, and patios, followed by fumigation to combat the larvae and eggs produced by the mosquito (Aedes Aegypti), which transmits the disease.

This is the third intense operation carried out by the Ministry of Public Health through Area III of Health in this demarcation, where more than two thousand houses of Santo Domingo Norte have been intervened given the epidemic outbreak of dengue fever in the country, said the authorities.

At the national level, the health system reports more than 303 suspected cases of dengue fever. Still, most of them are concentrated in the National District and Santo Domingo province, mainly in Santo Domingo Norte, where the authorities are redoubling awareness campaigns to families to eliminate mosquito breeding sites that produce the disease.

The director of Area III of Health reported that so far this year in Santo Domingo North, there have been 700 cases of dengue fever.

Dr. Mabel Jones, director of the Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital, reported that four patients have died from the disease. At the same time, seven are being investigated while specifying minimal suspected cases in the country’s interior.

He explained that yesterday, three cases were reported in the Valdesia region, one in the Jacinto Mañón hospital, 11 in the Arturo Grullón hospital, 4 in the San Vicente de Paúl hospital in San Francisco de Macorís, 2 cases in Samaná. Mothers of the children explain that they go to the centers after their children present febrile symptoms for more than three days, after suspecting that they could be affected by dengue fever.

Jenny Mojica, from San Cristobal, went to the Robert Reid Cabral hospital with her 10-year-old daughter yesterday because she had been suffering from a fever for six days.

Another, who is only identified as Banelia, is also waiting for attention from San Cristobal’s pediatric center with her four-month-old baby girl, who has been suffering from fever and vomiting for three days.

María Guerrero came to the Robert Reid Pediatric Center from Baní because her son has been feverish since last Tuesday. Walkiris Sanchez was waiting for her turn with two children at the Santo Socorro Children’s Hospital in Cristo Rey, from La Javilla, Villa Mella, Santo Domingo Norte, because they have had a fever and headache for the last three days.

Victoria Zabala arrived at Santo Socorro from La Mina de Los Guaricanos because her daughter had suffered from high fever for several days. She chose not to go to the Hugo Mendoza hospital, within the Ney Arias complex, because this center is full of patients.

At Hugo Mendoza, it was impossible to enter the consultation and emergency areas due to heavy restrictions for journalists. However, from outside, the emergency room was observed to be full of patients waiting to be attended. At San Lorenzo de Los Mina hospital, no cases were reported.

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The Physiotherapy Department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has received a near $4 000 boost to its capability to treat patients.

The aid package, which was donated by the Rotaract Club of South Barbados on Wednesday, is comprised of 15 folding walkers with wheels, seven Transcutaneous Electrical Nervous Stimulations (TENS) units to assist with pain management, and two exercise band kits.

The club’s immediate past president Graham Belle said the contribution was made possible through funds raised during the organisation’s annual Karting for Charity event.

He said the QEH was chosen as the chief beneficiary following a needs assessment conducted with the Physiotherapy Department.

Senior physiotherapist Dr Lynn Morris, who accepted the assistance package, said the equipment was critical to meet the increasing demand of patients seeking rehabilitation.

President of the Barbados Physiotherapy Association Stacey Boyce, meanwhile, expressed concern about an emerging trend of arthritis becoming more prevalent among younger people.

However, she gave the assurance that with the donation, the hospital was in a better position to help those requiring treatment for arthritis.

Arthritis is inflammation of the joint, and the two most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

The donation was made during Physiotherapy Week which concludes on Saturday.

To mark the week starting on September 3, the Barbados Physiotherapy Association hosted several activities, including an open day on the ground floor corridor of the QEH. It is preparing for more activities on World Physiotherapy Day on Friday. (EJ/PR)

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International. […]

Santo Domingo.- Epidemiologist Carlos Manuel Félix, who works at the Robert Reid Cabral Children’s Hospital, has expressed his concerns about the approach to combating dengue in the Dominican Republic. He argues that fumigation, a common method used to combat the disease, is not an effective solution and can even create harm.

Félix explains that fumigation is not beneficial because it can lead to dengue resistance to the insecticides used. Fumigation is typically applied during specific times of a dengue epidemic to target adult mosquitoes, but if applied during rainy periods, it may have no effect.

He also believes that fumigation is often used as a desperate measure to create the impression that action is being taken, rather than as a genuinely effective strategy to combat the disease.

Félix emphasizes that the key to controlling dengue is prevention, specifically preventing the breeding of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is the vector responsible for transmitting the disease. He calls for a national policy involving all institutions to eliminate dengue incidence in all provinces of the country.

The Dominican Republic has been experiencing a surge in dengue cases, with Santo Domingo Norte being a hotspot for infections. The Hugo Mendoza Hospital, a children’s center, has seen a high number of reported cases and has expanded its capacity to accommodate patients with feverish symptoms.

Santo Domingo.- Despite the recent reporting of 758 new dengue cases in the past week, bringing the total suspected cases to over 6,000 so far this year, the Ministry of Public Health authorities have issued a warning that the worst may still be ahead. They anticipate that the epidemic outbreak is likely to continue rising for the next four weeks.

Both the Minister of Public Health, Daniel Rivera, and the Vice Minister of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez, emphasized that the government alone cannot combat the disease. They have called upon families and communities to collaborate in eliminating containers that serve as breeding grounds for the mosquitoes that transmit the disease.

Pérez noted that the country is currently experiencing an epidemic outbreak, and the prevailing climatic conditions, characterized by intense heat and rainfall, are expected to contribute to a continued rise in cases. Therefore, the primary focus should be on preventing the creation of mosquito breeding sites.

The report provided by the Vice Minister of Collective Health indicates that dengue serotypes 2 and 3 are circulating in the country, with the latter not having been observed since 2019. Approximately 77.8% of reported cases are in individuals under 19 years of age, and around 42% of suspected dengue patients are being treated in five major health centers, including the Hugo Mendoza and Robert Reid Cabral pediatric hospitals, Jaime Mota, Plaza de la Salud, and the Unión Médica clinic.

Around 70% of the cases are concentrated in Greater Santo Domingo, with the Santo Domingo Norte municipality being the most affected. Santiago is the second province with the highest number of cases.

The country currently reports an incidence rate of 44.31 cases of dengue per 100,000 inhabitants, which is lower than other countries in the region also experiencing significant dengue outbreaks, where the incidence surpasses 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

They urged the population to inspect their surroundings and eliminate objects such as rubber and plastic containers, lids, and eggshells that accumulate rainwater and serve as breeding sites for mosquitoes. Additionally, they recommended covering and chlorinating water storage tanks used for domestic purposes.

It was noted that more than half of the patients requiring hospitalization typically exhibit alarming symptoms, including vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, and fever.

The specialist highlights that not all sudden deaths are due to heart attacks, so it is essential to undergo periodic preventive and/or control evaluations for underlying diseases in some individuals.

“Sudden deaths can be prevented. In people under 35 years of age, the most common cause is usually congenital heart disease, either electrical (arrhythmias) or anatomical, while, in those over 35 years of age, it is more common for it to be due to a heart attack,” she explains.

She adds that it is important to distinguish between a heart attack, which occurs when an artery in the heart is blocked due to factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking, and sudden death itself, which refers to the sudden cessation of vital signs or cardiac arrest.

Among the recommendations she offers to prevent sudden death are undergoing preventive evaluations from an early age (consulting a pediatric cardiologist before the age of 17 and transitioning to an adult cardiologist afterward), not minimizing symptoms, paying attention to them, and seeking medical advice. Additionally, for overall cardiovascular health, it is recommended to reduce alcohol consumption, exercise 3 to 4 times a week, get 7 to 9 hours of sleep, reduce the consumption of foods high in saturated fats, excess sugar, and salt, manage stress with appropriate tools, avoid smoking in any form, and undergo preventive evaluations before engaging in exercises or sports, among other measures.

According to the CEMDOE specialist, risk factors for cardiovascular diseases can be modified, such as not smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, knowing your cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight numbers, among others, or non-modifiable factors such as sex, age, race, or hereditary genetics. Therefore, they must be detected in time to understand one’s medical history and prevent complications.