Dominican Republic Registers 5 New Cholera Cases

On Wednesday, the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Public Health reported the detection of five new cholera cases, bringing to 36 the number of confirmed cases to date.

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According to the deputy director of the National Health Service, Yokasta Lara, three of the new positive cases are already at home and the other two are still receiving medical assistance with conditions that prevent them from being released.

There are currently 11 patients admitted with suspected cholera, said the deputy director, who added that the system has 289 beds available to treat cholera patients. 

On Monday this week, 85 000 doses of the Euvichol-Plus cholera vaccine arrived in the country through a donation made by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

The latest risk assessment of the Cholera event on the island of Hispaniola, dated December 2, 2022, assesses the event as very high risk on Hispaniola, moderate at the regional level and low at the global level.

Today, authorities began administering the vaccine to residents of La Zurza and Villa Liberación, where mobile tents have been set up. 

Dr. Aida Lucía Vargas, head of the Directorate of Immunization by Vaccines (DIV), said that the injection would also cover Capotillo, Simón Bolívar, Villa Agrícola and the provinces of Pedernales, Independencia, Elías Piña and Dajabón.

Only one dose is needed to protect people against cholera for three years, said Dr. noting that the vaccine is administered to people between 1 and 60 years old. 

Vargas also said vaccination would consider the places where cases have been detected and the ten houses around the residence where the infection originated.