North Coast Sickness

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Bartolomeo67

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Mar 18, 2004
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Malaria in POP ??

Hlywud said:
There has been a lot of reports of sickness in the North coast resorts around POP, does anyone have any information!

I heard today here in Belgium that a doctor recommended taking MALARIA tablets also for the POP area now. Our Institute of Tropical Medicine does not report anything however (www.itg.be (in english) see Travel Health - Information per country).
Anyone knows anything about it?
Bartolomeo
 

Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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I was just on the phone today with Dr. Puello, director of the Cencet (center for tropical diseases) and he had no reports of malaria in Puerto Plata -- only La Altagracia and Duarte. He bitterly complained that CDC had included Duarte province (northcentral) on the list because of one case of a 71-year old Dominican woman who had visited Cenovi for three weeks. He expressed his satisfaction for the measures that are underway to prevent the disease.

It has been raining and unusually cold over the past few days so maybe people are just sick with the flu.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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Hlywud said:
There has been a lot of reports of sickness in the North coast resorts around POP, does anyone have any information!

Better publish your sources, sounds like misinformation being put out by people wanting to keep people away from the North Coast. If there were so many reports, I wouldn't think you would have to ask for information.
 

FireGuy

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Aug 21, 2002
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The tourist boards at Debbie's, TripAdvisor and Rusty's "Unofficial" Riu Website are rife with first hand reports, speculation and some plain misinformation - but enough substance to suggest that the suituation is not "normal".

Comments range from food poisoning to sickness to Norwalk Virus to Malaria and include some resorts on the North Coast as well as some in Punta Cana.

I think what Wud may be asking is whether the comments regarding the resorts and illnesses is also being seen on the streets on the North Coast. This of course, is speculation on my part and Wud is free to correct me if I am misinterpreting his position.

Gregg
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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In a word, NO. I live in Puerto Plata, & read 4 Dominican papers every day. I have heard nothing on the street & there is nothing in the papers. I normally get my info on this sort of thing from a local Queen Bee in town.........she is the neighbourhood 'auntie' of where she lives.......saw her this week....nothing.
All I have heard of is 1 case of dengue in Sosua & 3 cases of grippe in Costambar............all gringos.
 
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Escott

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Jan 14, 2002
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Hey Wud, only thing I can report is my knee has been bothering me and I may have to get it scoped again. Maybe not, it may get better and has been improving slightly for the last 4 days.

It may be caused by all the rain. You know, I have grown 3 inches in the last month and maybe it is stretching my bones and that could be what is hurting.

Where is AZB when I need him?

Escott
 

Peter & Alex

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May 3, 2003
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Cabarete

Hi Wud,
Lots of grippe, runny noses and coughs around but no more than you'd expect with the cooler wet weather we're having.
Also the usual tourist tummy troubles - nothing serious!
There are a lot of people in town at the moment so naturally the illnesses increase especially if they bring the flu with them and spread it about?
 

juanita

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Apr 22, 2004
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Maybe someone should explain to these tourists that hangovers are not considered to be a dangerous sickness! :tired:
 

marina

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Remember how cold it was last winter? Our entire staff of almost 18 including foreigners was sick off and on for 3 months. Probably the same this year (don't live in Cabarete anymore) as locals aren't used to the extended "cold" temps at the beach areas and foreigners are used to the dampness when stuff doesn't have time to dry out. Spoke to a friend 2 days who was wearing jeans, two sweaters, a jacket, socks and shoes and was still freezing her butt off!
 

mharshman

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Solution

Dry out walls. Kill Mold. Destroy germs. Have used little plastic electric heaters for 18 years. Works like a dream.
 

Pib

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juanita said:
Maybe someone should explain to these tourists that hangovers are not considered to be a dangerous sickness! :tired:
The most intelligent thing you've ever said on DR1. ;)

It reminds me of that Johnny Ventura merengue song about the town drunk who blamed his feeling bad on everything but the booze.
 

Canadian-Diver

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Jan 8, 2005
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In the Canadian news

There is actually a bit of a panic here in Canada about the DR and malaria. I think its been exagerated by the Canadian news media. There have been 6 confirmed cases of malaria being contracted by visiting Canadians in the Punta Cana area and only one "suspected" case from the Puerto Plata area.
The one case from Puerto Plata has not been confirmed. Most have recovered and are OK now. The Canadian Blood Supply agency is not allowing any Canadians to donate blood if they have visited the DR in the last 6 months.

A bit of an over-reaction maybe.

I am coming regardless and I am looking forward to visiting the DR.

C.D.
 

Ken

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I can attest to the panic. The couple from Canada renting the condo below ours just arrived, but said several couples that were planning to come for the winter cancelled because of their fear of malaria. The couple that did come brought enough malaria pills to last for the 3 months they will be here.

The mother of Kim Beddall, the whale watcher in Samana, is coming to spend the winter with Kim as always, but after she finishes the course on dealing with malaria she is going to in her home town in Canada.

I could go on with examples, but you get the idea.
 

trina

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Ken said:
I can attest to the panic. The couple from Canada renting the condo below ours just arrived, but said several couples that were planning to come for the winter cancelled because of their fear of malaria. The couple that did come brought enough malaria pills to last for the 3 months they will be here.

The mother of Kim Beddall, the whale watcher in Samana, is coming to spend the winter with Kim as always, but after she finishes the course on dealing with malaria she is going to in her home town in Canada.

I could go on with examples, but you get the idea.


My husband, Angel, planned to go to Sosua December 29-January 6. We booked early this time, despite our usual route of taking advantage of "last-minute" deals. We booked early because he was going during the New Years fiestas, and thought the flights would sell out, as they do every year. We paid $916 inc tax. The flight did eventually sell out, around three days before leaving. Price: $89 + tax - about $300 and change!!! A local tour operator informed us that a lot of tourists were cancelling or opting for other destinations due to the malaria scare. Many people have asked me if Angel is crazy, going to the DR, with the "huge malaria scare". The Canadian press are, unfortunately, playing this one to death. Jeepers, first the "sex trade chronicals", now this!
 

mobrouser

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Jan 1, 2002
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interesting observations Trina and Ken. in mid-december, about a week after the news about malaria first appeared on CTV I emailed a fellow chamber of commerce member who owns a travel agency here in Aurora asking how this was affecting business. he said that he had had one family cancel and that was on strict instruction by their physician because of an existing medical condition. but he also said that business this fall was incredibly slow, something that other retailers in town, including myself, can attest too.

last week in conversation with the broker who has the listing on a house i have for sale, he mentioned traveling to Punta Cana between Christmas and New Year. he raised the issue of malaria and said that if it was only he and his wife travelling they would not have given it second thought. because they were taking the 3 children, they thought they should see the family doctor. the doctor's reaction was that to suggest that there was extremely minimal risk and that precautions were easily taken.

in the end they ended up going to tropical disease specialist for advice. the reason? this was a surprise trip for the children and it would be difficult to explain the reason for taking medication without giving up the secret. they were able to get a different prescription from the specialist that they could start the day before leaving, rather than a week before.

it would be interesting to see if there is a significant difference between this year and last of passengers arriving from Canada.

mob

ps. my broker said he had a great trip, although i did have to gently correct him when he said "The Dominican"
 

caro

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in the tv new yesterday night in montreal, the reader of new says the pharmacy are in lack of malaria pill. so propably people continu to go in dr and just some are cancelled their trip. I think the new here just put to much attention on this and are just scared some people.
 

planner

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Sep 23, 2002
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The original question

In response to the original question, here in Puerto Plata I have seen lots of grippe, flus and colds. I've heard very very little about food poisoning or anything else!

Yes the usual complaints can almost always be traced back to over indulgance in food, alcohol, sun and fun.... well maybe not sun lately.....

Self induced illness doesn't count!
 
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