Specialists: Public Health’s work to halt chikungunya “very timid”

Santo Domingo.- Several specialists call the Public Health Ministry’s work to halt the spread of the chikungunya virus “very timid," and their concern is further stoked by the approaching hurricane season, whose downpours which can aggravate it even more.

Infectious disease specialist Clemente Terrero said the mobilization to stop the spread of the mosquito vector has been timid, and because it also transmits other diseases, poses a two-fold risk. "Faced with such a reality the authorities should engage in more forceful activities, to halt the advance of the vector and avert a difficult epidemiological situation, because dengue fever is lethal, whereas chikungunya can affect many."

He said the rains of May can further increase dengue fever and "a coinciding epidemic of the two diseases can occur," warning that the virus will continue to expand.

Resident Physician Society president Fausto Zabala also cautioned that the rains help proliferate the mosquitoes and frequently cause a rise in tropical diseases, such as leptospirosis, dengue, chikungunya and malaria.