Maternal mortality figures in the official spotlight; dengue fever

Santo Domingo – During one week, week 28, the Epidemiological Surveillance System recorded three maternal deaths from three provinces. Their ages ranged from 21 to 29 years old.

Nine deaths remain from dengue. The system indicates that as of the 28th epidemiological week of the year 2024, 135 suspected cases and 16 confirmed cases have been registered. Dengue is a disease transmitted by the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. It is notifiable.

Maternal mortality
The three maternal deaths came from the Peravia, Espaillat, and Monte Cristi provinces.

The health centers that reported cases were Maternidad Nuestra Señora La Altagracia, Centro Médico Guadalupe, and Clínica Unión Médica del Norte.

Sixty-seven percent or two out of three cases reported this epidemiological week, are of Dominican nationality.

The accumulated number of maternal deaths up to week 28 is 88 deaths, involving women between 17 and 44 years of age who resided in the Metropolitan region with 34 deaths, North Cibao, 15, East 15, Valdesia, eight, El Valle, five, Enriquillo, three, Northeast Cibao, three, Western Cibao, three and Central Cibao, two.

Of the 88 deaths reported, 45%, or 40 out of the 88 deaths, were Haitian women in labor.

Concern
Maternal and neonatal mortality remains a major concern, with many preventable deaths that have not decreased significantly in recent years. The World Health Organization stresses the importance of adequate maternal care for short- and long-term well-being. Although there has been progress, challenges persist.

Dengue fever
To date, 8,602 suspected cases of dengue have been reported.

The last week, 13.3%, or 18 of the 135 cases reported in the last week are concentrated in Hermanas Mirabal, 12.6%, or 17 of 135 in Duarte province and 10.4%, involving 14 of 135) in Santiago province. The cumulative incidence is 17.05 per 100,000 inhabitants, the province with the highest cumulative incidence is Hermanas Mirabal with 655.16 suspected cases per 100,000 inhabitants. A total of 8,602 suspected cases of febrile illness have been reported. Of the total number of suspected cases. Fifty-three percent of the suspected cases (4,523 out of 8,602) were male and affected the 10-19-year-old age group.

A total of 83.2% of the cases received care in a health facility, with 54% showing alarm signs and 45% without. Up to week 28, 4,475 dengue tests have been processed at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory.

This is a communicable disease indicator that is monitored by the authorities. Notification is mandatory.