Zika cases among pregnant women climb to 30; cholera at 12

Santo Domingo.- The suspected cases of the zika virus areincreasing among pregnant women, with 30 detected across the country.

The Public Health Ministry’s epidemiology bulletin also lists101 new cases of fever from the virus, for a total of 573 as of February 27.

Officials of the Dr. Defilló National Public HealthLaboratory await the results of 60 samples sent to the Centers for DiseaseControl (CDC) in Puerto Rico, to detect the virus in provinces that haven’treported cases.

The figures prompted the deployment of local rapid responseteams.

Cholera

Also reported were two new suspected cases of cholera in Santiago’sCabral y Báez hospital, with 12 patients with symptoms of the disease so farthis week.

Hospital PR Johnny Lama said patients were admitted withvomiting and diarrhea, the classic symptoms of the disease. He said howeverthat the figure cannot be confirmed until they receive the lab results.

Six people have died of cholera so far this year, includingfour inmates at La Victoria prison.

Dengue

Epidemiology reported 11 deaths from dengue and a cumulativetotal of probable cases of 1,179 as of February 27.

Among the deaths figure 10 children between the ages of 5 months to 13, and a 28 year-old woman.