With the rainy season and the resulting floods, cases of leptospirosis tend to increase.
Santo Domingo – According to epidemiological reports from the Ministry of Public Health, the circulation of influenza A (H3N2) is the only respiratory virus detected this week during the sentinel surveillance in the country’s health facilities.
In its epidemiological bulletin 33, released yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health also reported a low incidence of dengue, malaria, and leptospirosis cases. It highlights that from 2023 to 2024, 1,724 new cases of hepatitis were reported to the surveillance system.
The report, which records cases up to August 17, reports that only one case of dengue was reported in the last week and that, to date, 1,032 confirmed cases of the disease have been registered. The provinces of Santiago, Puerto Plata, and Duarte account for 49% of those infected.
Dengue is a disease transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and affects people of all ages. Symptoms range from mild to incapacitating fever, accompanied by intense headache, pain behind the eyes, pain in muscles and joints, and erythema.
Regarding malaria, the epidemiological report indicates that no new cases were reported in the last week and that 31,176 suspected cases have been reported so far this year, of which 718 have been confirmed. It indicates that the onset of symptoms has significantly decreased in the last three weeks compared to the previous three weeks.
The report also indicates that during the last week, only one suspected case of rosis was reported in a 15-year-old male resident of Santo Domingo. To date, 355 suspected cases have been reported, of which 31 have been confirmed. It notes that the most significant decrease in cases reported this year was recorded last week.
Hepatitis B and C
The Ministry of Public Health dedicated the edition of the epidemiological bulletin for week 33 to the topic “Advances of the HIV, STI, and Hepatitis Program in the Dominican Republic.””
It reports that from 2023 to 2024, 1,724 new cases of hepatitis have been reported to the surveillance system, with the most affected age group being female, aged 60 years or older.
This indicates that the five liver units report having approximately 650 patients treated with Hepatitis B.
The report states that in the Dominican Republic 2023, 1,724 cases of Hepatitis B and 1,001 cases of Hepatitis C were reported. Likewise, 557 births to mothers with Hepatitis B were reported.
It emphasizes that vaccination against hepatitis B is part of the Division of Immunopreventable by Vaccines (DIV) and is administered to all newborns, following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendations. It also highlights the actions aimed at prevention and guaranteeing the treatment of patients that the country maintains.