Government starts fight on dengue as 97 die nationwide

Santo Domingo.- The nationalhealth effort ordered by president Danilo Medina to combat dengue started 9am Friday,while the disease has already claimed 97 lives across the country, officialssaid.

Since the early hours dozensof employees from the numerous government agencies headed by the ministries ofPublic Health, Public Works, Land Transport Office (OTTT), the Dominican State-ownedElectric Utility (CDEEE), among others, set out to barrios in the cities andtowns nationwide.

In a press conference tostart the operation Public Health minister Altagracia Guzman Marcelino askedthe population to discard from their homes pots or containers that hold water,but noted that there´s currently no province under a heightened alert for thedisease.

In a statement the Presidencysaid it´s the anti-dengue operation´s first stage, and includes tomorrow Saturday,to eliminate mosquito breeding sites, fumigation and guidance for citizens to helphalt the outbreak.