Dominican Rep.: Dengue fever outbreaks

Event

A total of 307 cases of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease endemic to the Dominican Republic, were reported in the first three months of 2018. There have been seven associated deaths. As of late March, the highest transmission rates were recorded in the provinces of Barahona, Santiago, and San Cristóbal.

To compare, only one dengue death was reported in all of 2017, out of a total 1359 cases.

Context

Symptoms of dengue fever include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rashes. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, the enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging.

It should be noted that various other mosquito-borne diseases are present in the country, including malaria, chikungunya, and the Zika virus.

Advice

Individuals in the Dominican Republic are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites - e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito-netting or in an air conditioned room - and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds (small pockets of fresh water, such as rain water that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).