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Authorities close a water processing plant in Santo Domingo Este due to unsanitary conditions

The health authorities ordered the closure of a water processing and bottling plant for violating General Health Law 42-01 and its Public Health Regulation 258-01. Agua Los Charcos, formerly Agua Praxia, is located at kilometer 13 of the Mella Highway, in front of the Housing Park, in Santo Domingo Este.

This processor was closed because it lacked the corresponding health records issued by that vice-ministry.

Furthermore, pseudomonas, a type of bacteria that frequently causes severe infections in humans, was detected in the processed water tests, as well as unsanitary conditions and a lack of heating.

Concerning the cholera disease, the Ministry of Public Health advises the public not to be alarmed, to pay attention to official reports, and to practice preventative measures such as frequent hand washing and food washing.

 

2 years 6 months ago

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Ministry of Public Health reports six new cases of cholera

The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (Mispas), through the Vice Ministry of Collective Health and its General Directorate of Epidemiology (Digepi), reported six new cases of cholera on Sunday, two of which were Dominicans, a 56-year-old male and a 37-year-old female, living in Villa Liberación and the Solares del Almirante in Santo Domingo Este.

The remaining four cases are imported and pertain to Haitian nationals, two men aged 47 and 31, a woman aged 72, and a 9-year-old girl.

There are 31 confirmed positive cases of the disease in the country, in addition to these six. The patients were admitted between January 18 and 20, according to a press release, after presenting with whitish watery diarrhea and vomiting. “When they were treated at the health center, they were hydrated and stabilized before proceeding immediately to take stool samples, which turned out to be positive for cholera this Sunday,” according to the Ministry of Health.

He adds that the medical report confirms that the patients have been without bowel movements for more than 24 hours, that they are stable and in good spirits, and that they will be discharged in the next few hours.

 

2 years 6 months ago

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What Public Health will do against malaria in San Juan

The Minister of Health and Social Assistance, Daniel Rivera, visited several places in this province, starting at the San Juan Provincial Directorate Regional VI, where he ordered to reinforce of the strategies and evaluate the malaria situation in this province since 70 percent of the confirmed cases at the national level are concentrated in the area.

During the meeting, the president of the Health Cabinet also evaluated the implementation of the “Malaria Elimination Strategy” carried out by the technical team of epidemiologists of the San Juan Provincial Health Directorate and presented by Dr. Rosa Alvino, focused on projecting and reinforcing strategies that can reduce the indicators of the disease.

“Today we are here to kick off a strategic program carried out by epidemiological team, since this province has the highest number of cases registered in the country; no one has died from the disease, but we have to focus on reducing cases,” the official said.

He suggested visiting the transmission centers two or three times a week to keep control of the situation and continue with the prevention strategies in the area, “it is very important to work on the operational part, taking into account the specific points of transmission, we have to go to the field where the active focus is,” he recommended.

Before the meeting, Dr. Rivera visited the facilities of the company Maguana Tropical, where he spoke with its production manager, Edwin Ordas, about the safety and hygiene measures that are being carried out to prevent malaria, cholera, and other diseases.

He also held a meeting with the director of the Centro Universitario Regional Oeste Curo- UASD, Carlos Manuel Sánchez, with whom he discussed health issues and analyzed the support to students of different careers in the prevention of viral diseases and other types of operations carried out by the Provincial Health Office.

He also went to the call of the bishop, Monsignor Tomas Concepción of the church Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana, along with the priest Pedro Pablo Mateo, to agree to expedite the process of requesting medicines; so that they arrive on time when requested by the episcopate.

“Those processes can be expedited through Habilitation and Accreditation; it is neither difficult nor impossible; besides, for us, the church should always be given priority,” concluded Dr. Rivera.

2 years 6 months ago

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Another cholera death suspected in Santo Domingo East

Santo Domingo
This Friday, another person died in the Villa Liberación sector, in El Almirante, Santo Domingo East, presumably from cholera, but laboratory tests will be needed to confirm this.

This death occurs amid the concern generated in this sector by the spread of cholera, which according to community members, has left at least five dead.

Santo Domingo
This Friday, another person died in the Villa Liberación sector, in El Almirante, Santo Domingo East, presumably from cholera, but laboratory tests will be needed to confirm this.

This death occurs amid the concern generated in this sector by the spread of cholera, which according to community members, has left at least five dead.

At least six cases have been confirmed, and others are awaiting test results.

The Public Health authorities intervened in the sector to stop the disease, installing a mobile hospital in the Center for Diagnosis and Primary Attention of the Villa Liberation sector to treat suspected cases.

Among the actions they carry out is searching for suspected cases to provide immediate Attention. In addition, they have asked those with diarrheal symptoms not to waste time and seek assistance.

Since the first case of cholera was registered in the country, following the increase in cases in Haiti, the authorities have set up a cordon in La Zurza, Capotillo, and other sectors near the banks of the Isabela River, where the presence of the bacteria that causes cholera has been confirmed.

The Ministry of Public Health and the Santo Domingo Water and Sewage Corporation (Caasd), among other government institutions, are involved in the actions.

2 years 6 months ago

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Population of heart failure patients gets younger in the Dominican Republic

Cedimat, specialists, and the University of Bologna collaborated to improve Dominicans’ cardiovascular health, with assistance from the two embassies. In the Dominican Republic, there are an increasing number of young people suffering from heart failure and aortic disease. This is due to a young population, stress, a fast-paced lifestyle, high-fat diets, and the use of various substances.

The subject was brought up by Dr. César José Herrera, director of the Cardiovascular Center of Diagnostic, Advanced Medicine, and Telemedicine Centers (CEDIMAT). Herrera was accompanied by executives from the University of Bologna, Italy, with whom a collaboration agreement in the field of education was recently signed.

Herrera explained that young people with athletic bodies and even well-trained quads come to the services, but they have a history of using steroids and are suffering from the aortic disease. In that order, he and the European university’s directors both emphasize the importance of conducting research and gathering data to aid decision-making. The Dominican Republic ranks fourth in the Caribbean region in terms of cardiovascular mortality, trailing only Haiti, Guyana, and Suriname, indicating a public health issue.

As a result, the Centers for Diagnosis and Advanced Medicine and Medical Conferences and Telemedicine (CEDIMAT) received a visit from directors of the University of Bologna, Italy, as part of their efforts to promote cardiovascular health, and an important agreement was recently signed to develop joint projects in everything related to cardiovascular surgery.

 

2 years 6 months ago

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The cases of cholera in the Dominican Republic rise to 25; Vaccines coming next week

The Ministry of Public Health announced this week that 85,000 doses of the cholera vaccine will be delivered to the country the following week. These vaccines will be distributed first to vulnerable groups and residents along the Isabela River’s banks, particularly in the National District’s La Zurza sector.

Eladio Pérez, Vice Minister of Collective Health, provided the information, describing the acquisition of biologicals through the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) Revolving Fund as “very positive.” Pérez explained that, despite the lack of confirmed cases in the country, the international organization was asked if the Dominican Republic would have vaccines due to its proximity to Haiti, where there are already more than 24,000 cases.

Gina Estrella, the Ministry of Health’s director of Risk and Disaster Management, confirmed six new positive cases of cholera, bringing the total to 25 since the outbreak began. “They are all from Villa Liberación (El Almirante, Santo Domingo Este),” said Estrella. Meanwhile, Yocasta Lara, the director of Hospital Centers of the National Health Service (SNS), stated that only nine of the 289 beds available throughout the country for cholera management are currently occupied, accounting for 3% of the total. Five adults and four minors are among the nine suspected patients awaiting confirmation of their diagnosis.

According to Estrella, the health authorities intervened “quite forcefully” in the Villa Liberación sector of El Almirante, Santo Domingo Este, after suspected cases of cholera were discovered within a family nucleus. So far, more than 90 houses have been visited looking for other possible infected people and, together with the Santo Domingo Aqueduct and Sewerage Corporation (CAASD), the water wells in the aforementioned sector are being evaluated, since “they have never been given treatment”. Similarly, the doctor stated that a mobile hospital has been in place since yesterday “to maintain active surveillance and attack (cholera) as we did in La Zurza.”

 

2 years 6 months ago

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18-year-old dies of dengue and leptospirosis in Puerto Plata

A young pregnant woman who had been admitted to a private clinic in San Felipe de Puerto Plata last Saturday died as a result of dengue and leptospirosis. Ana Cristina Pichardo González was the name of the deceased. She was 37 weeks pregnant and lived on the busy Callejón 8 in the Padre Granero sector. Pichardo González died at 12:50 a.m.

on Monday due to shock, severe dengue fever with warning signs, leptospirosis, and a urinary tract infection, according to the death certificate issued by the health center.

The young pregnant woman underwent a Kerr-type cesarean section with the consent of her relatives to save the child she carried in her womb. Unfortunately, the baby died as well. The remains of the young woman and her daughter are buried in her home, which is almost directly in front of Padre Granero’s Catholic Church. People come to the site to express their condolences to their relatives and to express their sorrow over this tragic event.

While the Ministry of Health investigates an alleged dengue outbreak in the Padre Granero, Bello Costero, and La Laguna sectors. Several residents of that region have been hospitalized after exhibiting symptoms of these health conditions.

 

2 years 6 months ago

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In the face of new cases of cholera, government calls for greater prevention

While confirmed cases of cholera, an acute diarrheal disease caused by contact with the Vibrio cholera bacterium, continue to rise in the country, citizens must follow recommendations both personally and at home to avoid becoming ill.

Because the mode of transmission is fecal-oral, that is, associated with water and food contaminated with fecal matter, greater care should be directed to food handling, cleanliness and hygiene at home, and constant hand washing.

As the Dominican Society of Intectology has pointed out, state and local governments must also ensure access to safe water and tools to maintain hygiene measures.

Watery and whitish diarrhea, like rice water, vomiting, dry mouth, weakness, and drowsiness are all symptoms of cholera, which can lead to death if not treated quickly.

 

2 years 6 months ago

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Health intervenes in neighborhoods; says cholera under control

The healthcare system has epidemics and disease outbreaks. It does not, however, address the chronic diseases that affect and kill thousands.

Public Health teams are still in the neighborhoods in action to prevent the spread of cholera.
However, the Ministry of Health is still awaiting the results of three tests on an equal number of patients with suspected signs of the disease. Teams of health workers and epidemiologists are in the affected areas, carrying educational messages about the need for the population to educate themselves and have access to safe drinking water.

“There are no new details of the situation, but all our teams are in the neighborhoods where cases have been reported,” Carlos Suero, Director of Communications of the Ministry of Health, told Hoy.

The situation

Dr. Gina Estrella, director of Risk Management and Disaster Attention of the Ministry of Health, emphasized that tests from the Doctor Defilló Laboratory have registered only 17 proven cases. Therefore, three more trials are expected.

The specialists

Both the Dominican Society of Infectious Diseases and the Society of Gastroenterology have insisted on the need for the authorities to make more comprehensive interventions in the affected areas. Dr. Clevy Perez has been adamant that Public Health should convince the Government of the need to supply water permanently to the inhabitants of the neighborhoods. The Society of Gastroenterology has said the same. Furthermore, they believe education and hygienic measures should be taken to the utmost.

Doctors

In another order, but in the same field of Health, the doctors met with the National Council of Social Security after the union, which groups the professionals continued with the strikes and disaffiliation to the ARS.

This time the strike and disaffiliation affected the affiliates of the Administradora de Riesgos de Salud Humano. Unfortunately, no agreements were reached at yesterday’s meeting, but the parties were summoned for next week.

Neither the Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera, nor the National Social Security Council president, Luis Miguel De Camps, participated in the last meeting. This time there has been one of the system’s most complex and extended crises. Doctors are demanding their demands and want changes.

2 years 6 months ago

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Public Health monitors two with suspected cholera

Santo Domingo, DR
A low incidence of viruses that weeks ago created pressures on the health system, among them influenza, Covid-19, and dengue, while the authorities put more emphasis on the control of cholera, produced by bacteria, to prevent its further spread.

Santo Domingo, DR
A low incidence of viruses that weeks ago created pressures on the health system, among them influenza, Covid-19, and dengue, while the authorities put more emphasis on the control of cholera, produced by bacteria, to prevent its further spread.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health kept under surveillance two hospitalized patients suspected of cholera, but with stable evolution, and assured that the case of a patient coming from Boca Chica with a diarrhea condition is not cholera, but that in any case, for preventive purposes, they proceeded to intervene in the community where he resides.

The details were given to Listín Diario by Dr. Gina Estrella, in charge of Emergencies and Disasters of the Ministry of Public Health, who assured that the country maintains up to now the figure of 17 confirmed cases of cholera and that in Zurza, where an outbreak was registered, control of the cases was achieved and that the dredging of the Isabela river was started to guarantee its fluidity.

He recalled that in addition to Zurza, cases were initially detected in Capotillo and two imported cases in San Carlos. However, prevention interventions are extended to all health areas of Greater Santo Domingo, as well as active surveillance at the national level. He said that out of 90 random cholera tests taken over the weekend in La Zurza and Capotillo, only four were positive, of which two were asymptomatic persons.

Regarding the cases of the influenza virus, Covid-19, and dengue, which maintained high levels of circulation during the last months of last year, the director of Emergencies and Disasters pointed out that they currently maintain a low incidence at the national level.

2 years 6 months ago

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