Anthrax suspicions in Haiti: Are there confirmed cases in the Dominican Republic and is there a health emergency?
The Ministry of Public Health reported that the Dominican Republic has no registered cases of anthrax and that it has preventively reinforced epidemiological surveillance in response to the investigation of suspected cases of cutaneous anthrax in a community in southwestern Haiti.
The Minister of Public Health, Víctor Atallah, explained that these actions aim to strengthen the capacity of health services to promptly identify any potential cases and activate the corresponding protocols. He clarified that the measures adopted do not constitute a national health emergency.
“ The Dominican Republic has no reported cases of anthrax, nor is there a public health emergency. We have strengthened surveillance as a preventative measure, and our health services are prepared to promptly identify any suspected cases,” Atallah stated.
Preventive surveillance
According to reports, Haitian health authorities are investigating 13 suspected cases in Baliverne, in the Dame-Marie commune of the Grand’Anse department. Two deaths have been reported among the cases under investigation, though anthrax has not yet been confirmed as the cause of death.
Contact with sick livestock is being investigated as a possible source of exposure.
Anthrax is a disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which primarily affects herbivorous animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats. Humans can contract it mainly through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.
The disease is not usually transmitted from person to person, so the risk of infection from contact with an infected individual is low. Preventive measures focus primarily on epidemiological and animal health surveillance, including monitoring the unregulated movement of animals and animal products.
The Ministry of Public Health coordinates with the Ministry of Agriculture and the General Directorate of Livestock to strengthen surveillance and timely detection, as well as with the relevant international organizations.
Furthermore, guidelines for healthcare personnel on identifying and immediately reporting any suspected cases have been reinforced. The country maintains diagnostic capacity through the Dr. Defilló National Reference Laboratory.
The Ministry urged the population to stay tuned to information from official sources and reiterated that the measures implemented are preventive in nature and form part of the country’s usual health surveillance and preparedness mechanisms.
Public Health will continue to monitor the situation in coordination with the relevant national institutions and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).
