Government draws measures against Zika and dengue

Santo Domingo.- President Danilo Medina headed a meeting Sunday with health officials and representatives from state agencies to draw the government’s strategy against Zika virus, detected recently in the country.

Among the measures to be taken, members of the state security agencies agreed to start a fumigation campaign Monday to eliminate mosquito breeding sites in order to help halt a Zika outbreak.

Other measures have to do with strengthening the actions against Zika and dengue at ports, airports and border crossings, and coordinating efforts and providing guidance through workshops nationwide.

In a video posted on the Presidency website, Health minister Altagracia Guzman announced there will be another meeting at the Public Health Ministry on Tuesday to coordinate additional actions.

Guzman again urged women to wait to get pregnant due to the growing link between Zika virus and birth defects and asked those who are already expecting a baby to protect themselves from mosquito bites.