What do I need to do!

No vaccinations are essential. Wise to ensure typhoid, tetanus, polio and hepatitis are up to date. To be honest if you are staying in hotels you are unlikely to have a problem, but you should ensure those vaccines are up to date when travelling anywhere and even in the UK. Semana Santa in the DR has the same dates as Easter in the UK. Good Friday is April 19, the fun starts in the DR from the previous Wednesday or Thursday and continues till Easter Sunday on 21st.

Matilda

It never occurred to you to ask a travel medicine doctor what vaccinations to get? As good as the advise is so far, it's always better to rely on sound medical advise when it comes to your own health and safety. A doctor will know to ask if you have any conditions that make you particularly susceptible to one thing or another.

You might wish to add Dukoral to your list for when you ask if it's ok to drink the water and someone says, "sure the resort filters their own water."

British holidaymaker, 54, dies from a rare blood infection on her birthday during dream Christmas Caribbean holiday
Lynne Crouch, 54, from Essex, died of a rare blood disease on her birthday
The virulent bacterial infection left her confused and suffering violent vomiting
She died less than a week after falling ill, in the Dominican Republic
She was on holiday with husband Peter who remains there awaiting the autopsy
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-rare-blood-infection-birthday-Caribbean.html

I lived in the DR for 6 years and had no major problems. Tourists die all over the world and when your time is up, it's up.
Enjoy your time in the DR.

Parasites, bacterial infections, and viruses courtesy of our friend the mosquito, we have them all - and a less capable medical system to respond to the problems.

As their own tourist slogan clearly states, "Dominican Republic Has It All"

Most who come here are just fine. This is of little comfort to those who get Leishmaniasis, Dengue, Zeka, Malaria, Cholera, Typhoid Fever, Hepatitis, Rabies or a good ol raging tropical infection from a cut or scratch. When you choose to come to the tropics you need prepare as best you can but in the end, you have to accept that here is different than there.

As Frank said more succinctly, The odds are good that most tourists will be just fine if they exercise appropriate precautions, accurately assess their current general state of health and take as many precautions as they can, in this case to reduce the chances of winning the lottery - much to the chagrin of those who are not so lucky, life offers no absolute guarantees nor does any tropical tourist destination.

Whatever happened to that Newlywed Couple , I think they were from Europe ..they both died from same thing, but the Autopsies were never conclusive as I recall .. Fish Poisoning was the Theory ..
Anyone ever see any updates ?

Don't worry - be happy! I got all the vaccinations, anti-malaria tablets etc, as advised by the UK health authorities when I first came here from England on holiday, but when I came to live here permanently I asked what I should do and they didn't have a clue. So now I just live life as normal and up to date no serious problems (touching wood as I write!). The best advice is from Matilda above.

frank recktenwald said:

British holidaymaker, 54, dies from a rare blood infection on her birthday during dream Christmas Caribbean holiday
Lynne Crouch, 54, from Essex, died of a rare blood disease on her birthday
The virulent bacterial infection left her confused and suffering violent vomiting
She died less than a week after falling ill, in the Dominican Republic
She was on holiday with husband Peter who remains there awaiting the autopsy
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...-rare-blood-infection-birthday-Caribbean.html

I lived in the DR for 6 years and had no major problems. Tourists die all over the world and when your time is up, it's up.
Enjoy your time in the DR.

Click to expand...

And her illness was Misdiagnosed at the New Punta Cana medical facility. So it was this poor woman's destiny to be somewhere with perhaps incompetent medical staff.

Forget the new Punta Cana Clinic on the main hwy. Go to the one on Ave. Espana a short distance from the stop light.

CDC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations in this regard:

Hepatitis A And Hepatitis B - Theses are some essential Travel Vaccinations that are being suggested to all travellers.

Typhoid and Cholera - Both diseases are spread mostly via water and food. It must have these vaccines in your refrigerator especially if you are travelling with kids.

Rabies - This is also an essential one especially if you would be in contact of animals. I think you must consider it necessary because risks are high.

Cholera and Malaria - CDC stresses having the vaccination of Cholera for adults. Although, it is rare among traveller, but it could be severe according to last cases. Similarly, we don't consider Malaria as dangerous as we were taking in the past but it can seriously affect you. You shouldn't only rely upon vaccines but can also take pest repellents or even portable mosquito traps with you.

This year Semana Santa will begin at 14 April and maybe would close at 20th of April.