COVID-19: Dominican Public Health will close establishments that allow overly large crowds

The Minister of Public Health, Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas, reported that today he will begin the closing of businesses in which crowds are occurring and in violation of the coronavirus prevention protocols (COVID-19).

In turn, he asked the police and military authorities “to act accordingly in order to deepen the elimination and control of the overly large gatherings that are occurring in establishments, especially on weekends.”

He indicated that he will propose additional measures to control activities in premises that are violating established protocols and opinions to control COVID-19.

23,134 people recovered and 799 new cases

Sánchez Cárdenas offered this information during a videoconference, in which he released the data from bulletin number 117 on the situation of COVID-19 in the country, at the cut of July 13, 2020.

He said that some 23,134 people have recovered from coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Dominican Republic and 148,156 suspected cases have been ruled out through laboratory tests.

The Minister of Health explained that there are 46,305 confirmed cases (799 new), 910 deaths (7 new deaths), and 194,461 processed samples of polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Positivity rate: 26.81%

He indicated that the positivity rate in the samples processed during the last four weeks is 26.81%.

While the case fatality rate stands at 1.97%. She specified that among the deaths, with an average age of 65 years, they had a history of morbidity from hypertension (33.08%) and diabetes (23.74%).

18,810 people in home isolation

Of the confirmed cases, some 18,810 people are in home isolation, 3,451 in hospital isolation, and 1,174 are hospitalized, of which some 238 are in intensive care units (ICU).

Aurora MSP performs 20,085  remote medical assists

Sánchez Cárdenas reported that through the Aurora MSP platform, as of this morning’s shutdown, there have been a total of 402,344 interactions between specialists and resident Dominicans, both in the country and abroad; 20,085 remote medical assistances, of which 377 were attended emergencies.

Aurora MSP is a robot powered and updated by more than 200 professionals authorized by the Ministry of Public Health, available through Whatsapp, Telegram, and Facebook.

The platform is available to citizens and institutions for orientation services, consultations, and assistance via telemedicine on COVID-19.

Recommendations

Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas reiterated the importance of complying with the recommendations of the Ministry of Public Health:

• Minimum physical distance of two meters between two people.

• Mandatory use of face masks in workplaces and public spaces.

• Frequent hand sanitization with soap and water.

• Stay as long as possible inside homes.

•  Care and isolation in the home of people with mild signs and symptoms.

•  Seek care in health centers if you have a fever, headache, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of smell, malaise, cough, and respiratory distress.

Likewise, to supermarkets, banks, and other spaces that offer direct services to users, he recommended:

• Maintain the organization of the flow and distribution of people, respecting the distance of at least one meter between them and the characteristics of groups with risks of complications.