To prevent the spread of the disease, the vehicles will be used for field operations such as cleaning, disinfection, and surveillance. The charge d’affaires of the US embassy, Robert Thomas, emphasized his government’s extensive cooperation since the discovery of ASF last year.

The diplomat assured that “the United States wants to see the Dominican Republic prosper and succeed and that means working hand in hand with the Dominican authorities to eradicate African swine fever to guarantee the continued success and prosperity of the hog production sector.” He added that “today’s donation is just another example of our sustained and ongoing support to the Dominican Republic in the management and mitigation of African swine fever.” The Minister of Agriculture pointed out that “since the activation of the ASF Incidence Command System, we have kept this dangerous disease under control to protect the Dominican swine population and with the firm decision of President Abinader each producer affected by slaughtering their pigs we compensate at a fair price so that you can recover and maintain your economy”.

He indicated that it is a joint work in addition to international organizations, the Ministry of Agriculture, the General Directorate of Livestock, Digega el Bagrícola and pig producers. This delivery, valued at US$380,000, is part of the more than US$17 million that the US government has contributed to the country since July 2021 in vehicles, equipment, and technical assistance to eradicate this disease and protect the Dominican people from its impact on the national economy and food security. The total figure also includes US$5.2 million to compensate producers who lost their pigs due to the epidemic.

The health center, when applying for the National Quality Award, organized by the Ministry of Public Administration, obtained a silver medal in 2015, a gold medal in 2016, and the Grand National Quality Award in 2017, as well as Gold in its first application for the Ibero-American Quality Award in its 2019 version and was received in Madrid in February 2020.

In July of this year, the HPHM led in the No.1 position in the ranking of the best hospitals nationwide according to the Public Administration Monitoring System (SISMAP) for the health sector. On that occasion, it was also recognized by the National Health Service (SNS), for achieving the best hospital performance in the country. When offering the information, Dr. Dhamelisse Then, Director of the Hugo Mendoza Pediatric Hospital, highlighted the full support of the National Health Service, for what was a country application and revealed the passion, dedication, and great sense of humanization of the medical and administrative staff that make this health center a national and Ibero-American reference model.

The Ibero-American Quality Award is organized by the Ibero-American Quality Foundation (FUNDIBEQ) and the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), an organization attached to the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government.

Santo Domingo, DR
The predominant symptoms of the omicron subvariant of Covid 19 circulating in the country in recent weeks are characterized by a clinical presentation very similar to that of a flu-like process, but in some cases, can end up causing pneumonia.

The sensation of coughing, sore throat, general malaise, nasal congestion, tearing, and the feeling of congestion of facial bones can often be accompanied by gastrointestinal manifestations, ranging from nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, among the main characteristics of the symptoms presented by patients.

This is explained by the pulmonologist Evangelina Soler, former president of the Dominican Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery, who points out the importance of the patient going to the doctor to make an accurate and differential diagnosis since it can be confused with other circulating viruses such as influenza, syncytial, adenovirus and dengue.

Lumbar pain

He said that other symptoms that Covid-19 currently presents are that the patient may have a fever or fever that occurs on one or two occasions, chills, and may have pain in the lumbar region.

The specialist explained that these characteristic symptoms occur in three to four days. After the cytokine storm, which appears on the seventh or eighth day after the onset of the symptoms, the patient may develop pneumonia, with cough and sensation of respiratory difficulty. However, she clarified that this is in the minority of cases.

Santo Domingo, DR
Brigades from the Mayor’s Office of the National District (ADN), in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health and other institutions, carried out a cleaning operation yesterday in which solid waste was fumigated and collected in the La Zurza sector of the capital, where two cases of cholera were recently detected.

“Today we are here with the city council cleaning the entire riverbank, giving attention to the families, bringing them supplies such as masks, gel, so that they can sanitize the whole area since we had two positive cases of cholera, which are already stable,” said Damian Almonte, coordinator of the Program for the Reduction of Traffic Accidents (Premat).

He assured me that the patients affected by cholera had already been treated and discharged. “We are finishing the sanitation of all the parts so that we can have a clear idea of where the cholera cases came from or if they were imported or if they were referrals from this same episode,” added Almonte.

Regarding the drinking water, he assured that it has already been treated by the Santo Domingo Aqueduct and Sewage Corporation (CAASD), and they are waiting for the results to be able to notice any abnormality in the liquid.

She also affirmed that there is no landfill in the community; instead, there is a “transfer” for solid waste, where the neighbors deposit the debris and collect it three times a week. Furthermore, the Vice Minister of Social Assistance, Raiza Bello Arias, declared that support and follow-up had been given to the community since the rains of last November 4, which caused havoc in Greater Santo Domingo, leaving irreparable human and material losses.

He expressed that “when these landslides occur, one is ready for epidemics to come, diseases such as dengue fever, in view of this we have followed up.”

The mother of Edwin Alexander Cedano, a 25-year-old young man who was crushed to death by a wall in this sector on the day of the torrential rains, considers that this action by the authorities is something beneficial for the whole community and explained that after the fateful day of her son’s accident, the authorities have been keeping an eye on the area.

Santo Domingo
Of the 475,000 doses of influenza vaccine acquired by the State to be given free of charge to high-risk groups, 194,568 people have been vaccinated to date, revealed the director of Immunopreventable by Vaccines, Dr. Lucia Vargas.

Dr. Lucia Vargas said that this vaccine is available in 428 authorized posts. They can also receive the vaccine against Covid-19 to complete their schedules and better protect them against the new circulating subvariants.

She explained that up to mid-week, 16,132,440 COVID-19 vaccines have been applied in the population, corresponding to the first dose, 7,295,993; to the second 6,065,999; to the third, 2 499,887 and with the fourth dose 270, 561 doses.

The director of Immunoprevenibles said that 901,255 people only received the first dose and did not receive the second dose, and that of those who received the double dose, 2,861,622 have not yet received the third dose, for which she urged to complete the scheme.

He urged the population to continue with the vaccination process to be immunized and reduce the effects that may be caused by the different variants that are circulating, which arise due to the non-immunization of the population.

He reminded that the program has 428 vaccinations against Covid and that the country has the Pfizer vaccine for children from 12 to 17 years old and the Sinovac vaccine for children from 5 to 11 years old.

Vargas reminded that the country has availability of the yellow fever vaccine, which is a requirement requested by countries where the disease is endemic, and that 10 thousand new doses are expected to be distributed in the different posts and centers established and to increase the capacity.

In turn, the Vice-Minister of Collective Health, Dr. Eladio Pérez, informed that, during the National Vaccination Day against Rabies, directed by the Center for Prevention and Control of Diseases Transmissible by Vectors and Zoonosis, a total of 162,315 animals were immunized, of which 126,353 were dogs, and 35,962 were cats, to establish an epidemiological blockade to reduce the risks of spreading the virus that causes this disease.

The day will be extended for a few more weeks, so they called on the population to bring their pets to be vaccinated to the provincial health directorates.

Testing posts

The deputy minister of Collective Health of the Ministry of Public Health said that the demand for laboratory tests to diagnose Covid-19 has increased in public and private centers and that the country has sufficient supplies.

Santo Domingo
Of the 475,000 doses of influenza vaccine acquired by the State to be given free of charge to high-risk groups, 194,568 people have been vaccinated to date, revealed the director of Immunopreventable by Vaccines, Dr. Lucia Vargas.

Dr. Lucia Vargas said that this vaccine is available in 428 authorized posts. They can also receive the vaccine against Covid-19 to complete their schedules and better protect them against the new circulating subvariants.

She explained that up to mid-week, 16,132,440 COVID-19 vaccines had been applied in the population, corresponding to the first dose, 7,295,993; to the second, 6,065,999; to the third 2, 499,887 and the fourth dose 270, 561 doses.

The director of Immunoprevenibles said that 901,255 people only received the first dose and did not receive the second dose, and that of those who received the double dose, 2,861,622 have not yet received the third dose, for which she urged to complete the scheme.

He urged the population to continue with the vaccination process to be immunized and reduce the effects that may be caused by the different variants that are circulating, which arise due to the non-immunization of the population.

He reminded that the program has 428 vaccinations against Covid and that the country has the Pfizer vaccine for children from 12 to 17 years old and the Sinovac vaccine for children from 5 to 11 years old.

Vargas reminded that the country has availability of the yellow fever vaccine, which is a requirement requested by countries where the disease is endemic, and that 10 thousand new doses are expected to be distributed in the different posts and centers established and to increase the capacity.

In turn, the Vice-Minister of Collective Health, Dr. Eladio Pérez, informed that, during the National Vaccination Day against Rabies, directed by the Center for Prevention and Control of Diseases Transmissible by Vectors and Zoonosis, a total of 162,315 animals were immunized, of which 126,353 were dogs, and 35,962 were cats, to establish an epidemiological blockade to reduce the risks of spreading the virus that causes this disease.

The day will be extended for a few more weeks, so they called on the population to bring their pets to be vaccinated to the provincial health directorates.

Testing posts

The deputy minister of Collective Health of the Ministry of Public Health said that the demand for laboratory tests to diagnose Covid-19 has increased in public and private centers and that the country has sufficient supplies.

As a result, the National Police launched an extensive investigation into the poisoning suffered by the educators, prompting the educational district 13-02 to suspend classes until next Monday to disinfect the facility and environment, according to the center’s director. Isabel Veras is an educator.

The Ministry of Public Health was able to determine that the cause of the poisoning was herbicide, which occurred after the teachers inhaled a highly toxic substance sprayed on the campus. “We were able to contact a person who lives in front of the school, and he showed us the container in which the herbicide was supplied, which is a burner for cleaning a patio,” a source close to the investigation said.

A woman who lives near the school would have sprayed this liquid to kill the herbs in her yard, but according to the epidemiologist in charge of the Montecristi health province, she sprayed more than the recommended amount, and with the arrival of the wind, the substance entered the school and caused the poisoning. So far, 15 people, including teachers and children, have been taken to the hospital with poisoning symptoms.

The National Police are expected to look into the situation further so that the person responsible can be brought to justice if necessary.

They also recommend following the recommended guidelines for hand washing, hygiene, distance, and vaccination schedule completion.

The Ministry of Public Health has never withdrawn its recommendation for the use of masks, according to Eladio Pérez, Deputy Minister of Collective Health, and Ronald Skewes, Director of Epidemiology, but it is not mandatory, but rather a voluntary and personal decision on self-care.

Pérez recalled that the mask and vaccination are the most effective Covid-19 prevention measures. The epidemiology specialist stressed the importance of wearing masks when visiting the elderly to avoid infecting them. He believes that the virus’s behavior indicates that it will continue to circulate in the population for a long time, with peaks at certain times of the year due to an accumulation of susceptible people, as occurs with influenza.

For this bulletin, DIGEPI reported collecting 2,124 samples, of which 1,261 were taken for the first time and another 863 were taken in follow-up. As a result, daily positivity increased to 16.65 %, while positivity continued to rise in the last four weeks, marking 3.09 % this Saturday.

No new deaths were reported due to COVID, so the number of fatalities remains at 4,384 deceased.

Increased hospital occupancy was also reported, with the admission of 22 patients: 17 in standard wards and five in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“According to our planning, it is estimated, if there is no variation, that there will be 10 billion this year.” says Dr. Mario Lama of the National Health Service (SNS),  “the pressure of the occupation of the general hospitals total 14% of the resources for Haitian patients,” the official said.

Although the maternity sector receives the most funding, approximately six billion pesos, the doctor emphasized that it is not only parturients and children who require neonatal care, but also patients with HIV, cancer, and those injured in fights or traffic accidents, among other circumstances.

Rivera’s 14% figure refers to the sum of the Public Health budget (8,300 million) and the SNS budget (75,000 million), which totals 83,300 million. The health sector’s overall budget is 123 billion pesos.