As spring breakers this season continue to head south into warmer territory, mosquitoes are posing a health risk that calls for extra attention.

Global cases of dengue fever are on the rise, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — and it's warning of an uptick in U.S. travelers.

The agency released a Health Alert Network advisory on March 18 noting that dengue activity and transmission "remain high" in some parts of the U.S. and globally, including the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

DENGUE FEVER: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS SWEEPING JAMAICA

"Spring and summer travel coincide with the peak season for dengue in many countries, increasing the risk of both travel-associated and locally acquired cases in the United States," the CDC wrote.

The CDC has marked dengue fever as a level 1 health alert, urging the public to "practice usual precautions."

This includes avoiding mosquito bites by using an EPA-registered insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, and sleeping in a room that has air conditioning or screened windows.

Many countries have reported a "higher-than-usual" number of dengue cases in 2024 and 2025, the CDC noted.

TIGER MOSQUITOES BLAMED FOR SPREAD OF DENGUE FEVER: ‘MOST INVASIVE SPECIES’

The following countries have also reported higher-than-expected numbers of dengue cases among American travelers returning to U.S. soil: Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Saint Lucia and Sudan.

Dengue fever is a virus spread through bites from an infected mosquito. 

It is common in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Islands, among other countries, according to the CDC.

TRAVEL HOT SPOT SEEKS EMERGENCY DECLARATION OVER MASSIVE BUG INFESTATION

In 2024, more than 13 million cases were reported in North, Central and South America, as well as in the Caribbean.

Local transmission of these outbreaks was reported in California, Texas and Florida last year.

Typical symptoms include aches and pains (in the eyes, muscles, joints, or bones), nausea, vomiting and rash — usually experienced within two weeks of being bitten.

Most people experience symptoms for two to seven days before recovering.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"It’s typically a more mild illness, but can be severe, causing headaches, joint pain, fever, abdominal pain and even death," Dr. Mark Fischer, regional medical director of International SOS, a leading medical and security services company, previously told Fox News Digital. 

There is not currently any medication to treat dengue, according to the CDC. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

Infected people are advised to rest, take acetaminophen for pain and fever, stay hydrated and see a doctor.

There is a vaccine available for U.S. children between 9 and 16 years of age who have previously tested positive for dengue and are living in areas where the infection is common.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.

Santo Domingo.- The National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) and the Specialized Body for the Control of Fuels and Merchandise Trade (CECCOM) will launch a special operation during Easter 2025 to prevent the sale of alcoholic products under irregular conditions, aiming to reduce health risks to consumers.

Pro Consumidor Director Eddy Alcántara and CECCOM Director General Brigadier General César Miranda Mañón announced the nationwide initiative, which will be supported by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM) and the Ministry of Defense (MIDE). The operation will involve visits to businesses across the country to raise awareness and prevent the sale of adulterated alcoholic beverages during the Holy Week holiday.

The heads of both agencies emphasized the success of previous operations in reducing poisoning incidents from counterfeit alcohol and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting public health, supporting legal commerce, and combating tax evasion.

View the full post Pharmacognosist endorses Grenada Syrup to promote health-conscious cocktails on NOW Grenada.

Santo Domingo—During epidemiological week 10, the Ministry of Public Health and the General Directorate of Epidemiology (Digepi) reported three new confirmed malaria cases, bringing the total accumulated since the beginning of this year, 2025, to 82.

22.8% of the reported cases correspond to citizens of Haitian nationality, so health authorities announced that they had renewed the focus on the active search for cases, especially in migrant communities and settlements of agricultural workers on farms.

“The intensification of community-based febrile case detection strategies is one of the key actions within the strategic efforts to achieve the goal of malaria elimination in the country,” the document highlights.

Of the 82 confirmed tests, 64 were in San Juan, 16 in Azua, and two in Santo Domingo.

As for the patients with probable symptoms, the authorities indicate that, after the report of 298 incidents, the total number of suspected cases increased to 4,587.

The bite of the Anopheles mosquito transmits malaria.

Dengue
Between March 2 and 8, 27 suspected cases of dengue were reported in the country, but no new confirmed cases were reported.

The cumulative number up to week 10 is 404 suspected cases and 31 confirmed cases.

Compared to the same period in 2024, there was a 93% decrease in suspected cases and a 95.24% decrease in confirmed cases, reflecting a significant reduction in the incidence of the disease transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Leptospirosis
Public Health and Digepi reported four suspected cases of leptospirosis, with no new laboratory confirmations.

The accumulated number of suspected cases is 103, and 16 have been confirmed cases. Of the cases, 33.98% are of Haitian nationality, and 66.02% are Dominican.

The Ministry of Health says it continues to reinforce key disease control strategies, such as rodent control and sanitation measures.

These include improving access to safe drinking water, reducing exposure to stagnant water, and promoting good hygiene practices. Animal vaccination campaigns are also being carried out, especially in areas where livestock can be a reservoir for Leptospira bacteria.

Cholera and diphtheria
Up to epidemiological week 10, no suspected cholera cases have been reported in the country, representing a 100% reduction compared to the same period last year, when 106 records were documented.

Regarding diphtheria, Public Health reported one probable case corresponding to a child between five and nine years of age who lived in the municipality of San Ignacio de Sabaneta.

So far this year, the accumulated number of cases is four.

Respiratory Viruses

Respiratory viruses continue to circulate in the country. (EXTERNAL SOURCE)
In Epidemiological Week 10, the circulation of influenza A (H1N1) pdm 09, influenza B Victoria, and parainfluenza viruses was detected. Throughout the year, authorities have observed the presence of a respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus 1, 2, and 3, influenza A (H3N2), adenovirus, and Sars-CoV-2.

Public Health emphasizes the importance of preventive measures such as frequent hand washing, using masks with flu-like symptoms, avoiding self-medication, maintaining ventilated spaces, and going to the health center in case of fever or discomfort.

Maternal and infant deaths
In this new bulletin, two maternal deaths were reported, corresponding to women between 20 and 29 years of age, both of Dominican origin.

The accumulated figure up to week 10 is 33 deaths, which represents a decrease of 19 % to 2024 when 41 were reported.

With 22 new deaths, the total number of infant deaths rises to 337.

Of neonatal deaths, authorities reported 20 deaths, a total of 302 since the beginning of 2025.

Santo Domingo — The Administrative Minister of the Presidency, Andrés Bautista, assured this Friday that the recent resurgence of African swine fever (ASF) in some localities of the country is “under absolute control” and affirmed that the authorities have taken the necessary measures to avoid its propagation.

Bautista, an expert in agricultural matters, reported that the government had allocated billions of pesos to compensate pig farmers affected by the slaughter of their pigs due to the new wave of the disease.

“The General Directorate of Livestock goes and makes daily analyses of the farms,” said the official.

Bautista told the media that the resurgence has not reached large herds or organized farms, but it has affected small producers, whose farms face more difficulties in controlling the disease.

“In those foci, the pigs are eliminated,” he said. “That prevents contagion to other parts. There are also checkpoints in different parts of the country to avoid the transfer of pigs in a disorganized manner.”

Bautista added that, given the ASF rebound, the authorities had strengthened biosecurity measures for pig farmers to reinforce controls and prevent the further spread of the disease on farms.

The executive branch’s agricultural advisor, Erick Rivero, pointed out that the authorities carry out “permanently” between 15 and 20 surveys at the national level. At the same time, the central veterinary laboratory processes thousands of tests per week.

“We have been preserving the big companies where the genetics and the most important (pigs) are. And they have been giving support from the State to the small producers that are affected,” he said.

In the municipality of El Pino, Dajabón province, authorities confirmed the death of a large number of pigs. In Espaillat, at least 400 pigs were slaughtered due to ASF.

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a disease caused by a highly contagious virus exclusively in pigs; it poses no health risk to humans, according to the Dirección General de Ganadería.

He explained that the ASF virus causes a highly fatal hemorrhagic fever in pigs and is easily transmitted directly between affected animals and by contact with contaminated objects such as clothing, footwear, vehicles, or equipment.

ASF often enters a farm by feeding pigs with leftover or uncooked food scraps and garbage from diseased pig by-products such as meats and sausages.

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a disease caused by a highly contagious virus exclusively in pigs; it poses no health risk to humans, according to the Dirección General de Ganadería.

He explained that the ASF virus causes a highly fatal hemorrhagic fever in pigs and is easily transmitted directly between affected animals and by contact with contaminated objects such as clothing, footwear, vehicles, or equipment.

ASF often enters a farm by feeding pigs with leftover or uncooked food scraps and garbage from diseased pig by-products such as meats and sausages.

A ripped NYPD detective who is becoming a social media sensation for his grueling nightly workouts wants to inspire police across the nation to get in shape.

Eddie Barrett, 35, known as "50Cal" to his hundreds of thousands of followers, recently told Fox News Digital he has never taken a day off from training in 21 years — and said there are no excuses for his colleagues to not be physically fit in the line of duty. (See the video at the top of this article.)

The married father wants his daily vlogs to show police officers that they can juggle work and family life while also making time for the gym.

JILLIAN MICHAELS REVEALS SIMPLE WORKOUT TO EXTEND YOUR LIFESPAN 'UP TO 7 YEARS'

On his workdays, Barrett wakes up at midnight and heads outside for an ice bath. 

He then drives an hour to the Bronx, where he works with the NYPD's warrant department, a highly specialized unit that rounds up dangerous criminals wanted for serious crimes.

But before Barrett punches in, the 6'1" detective hits the gym to pump iron and pound the treadmill.

He then works his regular police shift — from around 3:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. — before driving home, spending quality time with his family and typically getting to sleep no later than 8 p.m.

On weekends, Barrett gets up at around 3 a.m. and hits the ice bath before working out at his purpose-built home gym so he can free up the rest of the day for time with his family.

And if he’s on vacation, as he was recently in the Cayman Islands, Barrett will pound the sandy beaches in the dead of night with a torchlight strapped to his head — and that’s before his gym session.

"Getting my training in is of utmost priority — my wife thinks I'm crazy, people think I'm crazy, but I've been doing this for 21 years," Barrett told Fox News Digital. 

"And it not only sets the standard for the day, especially first thing in the morning, but it's just become who I am. It's just me. No matter where I am, what time I gotta wake up, or whatever I have going on — I will train."

Barrett uploads daily videos of his morning routine and workouts to social media, offering words of motivation to his loyal followers.

His goal is to inspire others — police in particular — to get in shape so they can be faster and stronger.

STAY FIT IN YOUR 40S AND BEYOND WITH THESE SMART WORKOUT TIPS

"If [a suspect] wants to run or wants to fight, they will lose, because you’ve trained hard to be at a higher level than them," Barrett told Fox News Digital. "We’ve got to constantly work for that, because that can decide whether we go home safe or if we get hurt or God forbid something worse happens."

Said Barrett recently on Instagram in a video that shows him doing sprints before work, "Think you can run from the warrant squad? Think again."

Barrett said he recommends hybrid training, a fitness approach that involves integrating strength training with cardiovascular exercises. 

The detective often mixes extremely heavy weight-lifting with long or short runs, as well as high-intensity workouts. 

While Barrett said he doesn't expect other first responders to mimic his stringent routine, he emphasizes the importance of finding the time to be fit for duty. He noted that some police agencies are lowering fitness standards to help plug recruitment gaps.

"You want to have an appearance and a level of confidence in your fitness that demands respect and that always plays in your favor," Barrett added.

Getting out of bed early is less complicated than people think, according to Barrett.

"Some days are harder than others, right? You just can't give yourself a second option ever," he said. "We know what we have to do in life. And life is very short. The days fly by."

He added, "We have to be the best versions of ourselves, and there's so much to accomplish in life … And if you don't give yourself that second option, there is no snooze button. There is no scrolling on social media."

The detective does some "mind tricks" in the morning to help him get up, like counting down from three or saying a short prayer.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

"Get your mind going. It makes you think. It makes your brain function. You get that cool plunge. You do things that are difficult first thing in the morning, and before you know it, you're rocking and rolling," Barrett said.

Barrett said his goal is to have a lifelong career on the force, following in the footsteps of his late grandfather, who served as a police officer in New Jersey.

Today, Barrett proudly wears his grandfather’s police badge as a necklace.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

During the interview, Barrett’s young son, Henry, noted that he also wants to follow the family’s policing tradition.

"I feel like I live the best life. I really love my life and I tell people even in today's crazy climate … being a cop is a great job," Det. Barrett said. "I encourage everybody that's thinking about it: Go for it."

The detective said his strict fitness discipline is what helps him balance his training, work and family life, as well as his own supplements business.

While he wants to sustain his fitness level for as long as possible, Barrett emphasized that family always comes first, and that he cherishes the support he gets from his wife and his father, who lives with them.

"The memories we gather with our families are the most important things in the world," Barrett said. "And recently, I've come to accept that business might not grow as fast, my fitness might not get to the level I want it to, because I would never sacrifice my time with my family."

Barrett urged others, not just law enforcement members, to develop their own core principles and continue to work hard every day.

"There's so much out there for the taking in life, and if you don't get out there and do it, life is just going to pass us all by," he added.

"You're going to be amazed at what you can accomplish."

Addressing the official sod-turning for the construction of the GY$831.8 million Campbellville Polyclinic on Stone Avenue and First Street, he said last year 13,000 men were screened ...

Advancing to the finals on 10 April are St George’s Seventh Day Adventist, St Patrick’s Catholic, Mt Rose Seventh Day Adventist, and Hillsborough Government schools

View the full post Primary School Finalists for GFNC Quiz (Part 2) on NOW Grenada.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has firmly rejected claims circulating on social media that it is facing a blood supply crisis, insisting that current stocks remain “within required minimum levels”.

The hospital issued a statement on Friday addressing reports that alleged that the QEH had only 77 units of blood available and had been forced to outsource blood testing to the private sector due to shortages.

“The hospital is not facing a crisis, nor are we on the verge of running out of blood supplies,” the QEH insisted, adding that while “blood availability fluctuates based on patient needs, our team is actively managing supplies to ensure continued patient care”.

The statement also addressed concerns about laboratory testing capabilities, explaining that a “temporary reduction in reagent stock for one specific serological test (HTLV-1)” had been “swiftly identified, and the necessary resources have already arrived”.

According to the QEH, there has been “no interruption to blood testing or collection services” and the temporary outsourcing of some laboratory operations was described as “a proactive measure related to remedial cleaning efforts” rather than a response to any crisis.

The hospital emphasised that “at no point has this led to an inability to conduct critical testing” and encouraged eligible Barbadians to “continue donating blood to support our healthcare system”.

In its statement, the QEH urged the public to seek accurate information and avoid unnecessary panic, reaffirming its commitment to providing high-quality care to patients. (BT/PR)

The post QEH dismisses blood supply crisis claims, assures public of stable stocks appeared first on Barbados Today.

Although depression is primarily a state of anguish that can affect the ability of many Dominicans to perform daily tasks, it also appears as one of the probable causes of social violence and conflicts with the law. It is doubtful whether what the State is currently doing against the worst manifestations of this condition, which to varying degrees could advance to 20% to 30% of the population, is sufficient according to the assessments of at least one long-standing master of psychiatry in private practice.

Months ago, at a weekly meeting of the Corripio Communication Group, Dr. José Miguel Gómez, author of several works on psychiatry, which is his forte, was asked to summarize the reality of the mental health care system in the country. He said that there was a deficit “at all levels,” starting with a low public investment located at approximately 1% of the national budget of the health line when it should be between 2% and 3%.

Insufficient is reflected in the very low availability of beds in crisis intervention units, including provinces without these services, such as Independencia and Bahoruco. The contingency unit of the Padre Billini hospital had just been closed, while of the 40 beds promised to be available in the Luis Eduardo Aybar Health City, only 10 appeared. “There was also a deficit to attend to child and adolescent cases for which there were not 15 beds.” There has been no area to treat alcohol and drug abuse or for long-term psychosocial rehabilitation for mentally ill people who wander the streets and have no families, he added.

The government responded to these descriptions at some point by stating that mental health programs and services are being developed in the country that may be sufficient, at least for people to cope with depression. He mentioned a contact center called “Take care of your mental health” set up to offer free psychological support through line 809-200-1400. There was talk of a “National Mental Health Plan that seeks to reduce morbidity, disability, and mortality associated with mental disorders.

He considered it appropriate for the country’s reality that the Promesa/Cal entity provides medicines through a network of popular pharmacies. People with mental health conditions demand these medicines, and the Public Health Services Network has crisis intervention units in hospitals in Santo Domingo and other cities. However, professionals in that branch do not believe that it proportionally corresponds to the community’s needs. The Ministry of Health updates and develops specific protocols for managing adult depressive disorders.

The vulnerability of the Dominican population is seen as growing by more than one behavioral professional who, based on the arrival at offices of people trapped in depression, takes into account the suicide rate and the alarm expressed by society for the high registration of femicides to the point that recently three occurred on the same day and in different parts of the geography. Specialists associate depression and other disorders with the violence triggered by drug addiction, addiction to gambling, chronic stress, and the many Dominicans who turn to psychiatrists and psychologists affected by signs of emotional deterioration.

MINDS IN CRISIS

For the Spanish professor of psychology, Paula Atienza, it is not strange that young people from any country who are brought before prosecutors and courts are more chronically affected by anxiety and depression than those who do not commit crimes. According to their studies, “The rate of anxiety and depression in the population in trouble with the law indicates that almost half experience mental health disorders while serving time and even while at large.”

“In addition, mental health problems go hand in hand with criminological problems; people who continue to offend after adolescence are almost three times more likely to experience emotional health problems,” he added. According to other scientific evidence, there is a close link between the inclination to misconduct and post-traumatic stress disorders, personality limits, anxiety, substance abuse, sleep disorders, eating disorders,s, and suicidal tendencies.

In the same order, and as if the State understood that the health of those deprived of liberty deserves greater attention, some prisons have pavilions to care for inmates with mental disorders. At least this has been reported by the General Directorate of Penitentiary and Correctional Services in apparent reaction to complaints of overcrowding and humiliating treatment behind the bars of the system that accentuate emotional affection.

He also indicated that the transfer of inmates to the Padre Billini Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center is routinely arranged. He reported that the National Office of Public Defense has managed to transfer inmates with mental health disorders to that place urgently. The authorities admit that Dominican penitentiaries have cases that are considered standard in the general population: “mood disorders, abuse of illicit substances (narcotic portions are discovered in cells all the time) and schizophrenia.

NOTORIOUS FAILURES

Specialists convened by the Corripio Communications Group recently concluded something that does not seem to be enough: “Medications for mental illnesses must be integrated into the High-Cost Medication Program because any patient requires around 50,000 pesos per month in addition to paying for private consultations that on average cost between RD$3,500 and RD$6,000. With a tendency to become more expensive after the country has crossed the pandemic”. For a bipolar or schizophrenic patient, the cost of every 30 days of their medications rises to RD$40,000 and RD$50,000 when the attacks are acute.

The Health Risk Administrators usually cover only the first two consultations, but these conditions require continuous attention. Another conclusion from the meeting was: “When there is a patient of these characteristics, the family economy is greatly affected.” Some patients must be taken twice a month to specialists who feel free to raise their fees from RD$7,000 to RD$12,000.

Even though public hospitals have no costs in the Dominican Republic, they barely had 467 psychologists, at least until a year ago. This implies less than one for every 100,000 inhabitants when there should be at least five. In the case of psychiatrists, there were 356 nationwide at public and private care levels.

KEY FACTS

Among mental illnesses that affect the population, it has been reiterated that there are depression, anxiety, personality, affective, emotional, bipolar disorders, psychosis, alcoholism, and abuse of legal and illegal drugs. A country nestled in the heart of a continent where, according to figures from the Pan-American Health Organization, at least 75% of affected people do not receive treatments recognized as effective. 75% of people with schizophrenia in this country, who tend not to think or feel, have never been seen by a professional.

Alcohol consumption is predominant in 8.2% of the population over fifteen years of age. Still, consumption among minors is not quantified because policies to remove them from such contact are not directed at them either. Ordinarily, at Easter and Christmas, many children are rushed to hospitals and clinics with overindulgence, with or without the consent of parents and guardians, many of them unable to recognize the risks of premature ingestion of spirits.

Every year, and in circumstances that often involve drinking beverages that the states themselves proclaim as very harmful, in the region of the world to which the Dominican Republic belongs, 93,337 deaths by suicide are registered. The rate of decisions to end one’s life has been increasing by 17% since the year 2,000. The average public expenditure on mental health in this entire hemisphere region is only 3%. We have already seen that it barely represents 1% in the Dominican Republic, probably one of the most painfully low in Latin America.