Why did seven respiratory viruses compete in the Dominican Republic during 2025?
Epidemiologist Clemente Terrero described 2025 as a year dominated by viral respiratory infections in the Dominican Republic.
“The impact was very large, because what predominated at that time were viral respiratory diseases, mainly influenza, COVID, respiratory syncytial virus, and other respiratory viruses,” he explained to the newspaper Hoy.
According to the specialist, up to seven different viruses circulated simultaneously in the country, creating a complex public health scenario.
The influence of the pandemic on epidemiology
Dengue fever in the Dominican Republic
Terrero attributed this uptick to the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic itself brought about a change, because we were isolated for more than two years, the incidence of those diseases decreased, and then, when social activities resumed, those viruses that had decreased skyrocketed,” he noted.
Facade Robert Reid Cabral
This phenomenon, he said, was not exclusive to the Dominican Republic but was also observed in countries such as Spain and China.
Influenza and its prevalence in 2025
Influenza cases on the rise: recommendations and treatment
Influenza became the most prevalent illness of the year, primarily affecting children and young adults. Its circulation was accompanied by other respiratory viruses, leading to an increase in medical visits and hospitalizations.
Dengue fever on pause after a historic epidemic
Regarding dengue fever, Terrero recalled that in 2023 the country experienced its largest epidemic in history, with more than 27,000 cases.
The mosquito is the deadliest animal on the planet, transmitting malaria, dengue, Zika, yellow fever, chikungunya, and other diseases (Pexels)
“I hadn’t seen a dengue case since January 2025. And do you know when I saw one? Last week.”
“One case,” he recounted. Serotype three, which had caused the epidemic, stopped circulating, depleting the susceptible population.
The threat of serotype two
The specialist warned that the introduction of dengue virus serotype two could cause a new surge in cases in the country. “It appears that this new serotype may increase the number of cases of this disease, which was not previously circulating,” he said.
Reports from the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (SINAVE)
Leptospirosis on the rise
72 suspected cases of leptospirosis
Leptospirosis, meanwhile, showed a significant increase in 2025.
Terrero highlighted that this disease, associated with contact with contaminated water, mainly affected young adults and rural communities.
Its incidence and mortality exceeded those of previous years, making it one of the main epidemiological challenges.
The regional context of dengue
Terrero recalled that the dengue epidemic was not exclusive to the Dominican Republic.
In Latin America, cases rose from 2 million to more than 10 million in 2023, generating an unprecedented regional impact.
The age most affected by diseases
According to the epidemiologist, respiratory infections such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus primarily affected children and young adults, whereas leptospirosis had a higher incidence among working-age adults.
Dengue, on the other hand, showed more homogeneous behavior in the population, although it had a greater impact on children under 15 years of age during the 2023 epidemic.
A year of epidemiological transition
2025 represented a period of transition for Dominican public health.
Influenza and other respiratory viruses dominated the scene, dengue fever paused after a historic epidemic, and leptospirosis solidified as a growing threat.
Terrero concluded that the country must strengthen epidemiological surveillance and environmental prevention, while maintaining active immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases. “These changes require us to be prepared, because epidemiology is dynamic and viruses always find a way to return,” he warned.
