I've just read about an epidemic DF in North of DR. How do the expats view DF and deal with it ? Is it a major/scary concern ? There were 50 deaths last year in DR from DF.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Thread starter andrewc52002
- Start date
dengue fever
I am not an ex-pat but I was there in January. I think I contracted it. I'm not sure. I was treated for it. It was hell.
There isn't much you can do for it. They are attempting to make a vaccine for it.
It's mosquito borne. You have to get rid of the mosquitos. It's usually more of a urban disease than a country disease--unlike malaria but tell that to the mosquito.
Mosquitos will go where the mosquito will go!
It's a concern but ... you probably have more of a chance of getting hit by a car than malaria or dengue..... but somebody has to get it!!!
If you have luck like me... wear lots of repellant. I didn't.
There isn't much you can do for it. They are attempting to make a vaccine for it.
It's mosquito borne. You have to get rid of the mosquitos. It's usually more of a urban disease than a country disease--unlike malaria but tell that to the mosquito.
Mosquitos will go where the mosquito will go!
It's a concern but ... you probably have more of a chance of getting hit by a car than malaria or dengue..... but somebody has to get it!!!
If you have luck like me... wear lots of repellant. I didn't.
Why don't the moderators make a Dengue Fever sticky?
Every time there is an upsurge in Dengue Fever, new threads are created and usually the same questions and answers are given over and over again.
-NALs
I wanted to know how the expats deal with this problem. Do they decide to leave the country, do they move to other provinces, do they lock themselves inside (lol) ? Do they learn from the locals ?
We don't have it in Canada and I'm curious to see how it affects expats' lives in DR.
Thank you.
not to worry much
I've had dengue 3 times in 27 years in the Caribbean, each time in Puerto Rico, never here. If you're in a populated area use a mosquitero (net over the bed). Wear light weight long trousers and long sleeves while out in the late afternoon into evening. Use repellent on face, hands, ankles and neck. It's like Global Warming. 99% yammering, 1% reality.
I've had dengue 3 times in 27 years in the Caribbean, each time in Puerto Rico, never here. If you're in a populated area use a mosquitero (net over the bed). Wear light weight long trousers and long sleeves while out in the late afternoon into evening. Use repellent on face, hands, ankles and neck. It's like Global Warming. 99% yammering, 1% reality.
Ummm.... yeah
ha
Not to hi-jack but you think globalwarming is 1% reality?
You are only kidding yourself there, buddy!
Let's put it in simple terms.
If you systematically cover the earth (housing) and heat that space. Build a zillion cars, heat that space, start the motor....heating the air.
How can you then tell me all this is NOT heating the earth.
Fact.
Cities retain heat.
Fact.
All cities are consistently warmer than surrounding countryside.
Look on the weather network ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.
Maybe you're in the oil business?
Maybe you're just blind.
Maybe you see but aren't looking.
I suggest you do some more research before you make ridiculous statements like that. What we need is action, not ignorance.
haha
ha
Not to hi-jack but you think globalwarming is 1% reality?
You are only kidding yourself there, buddy!
Let's put it in simple terms.
If you systematically cover the earth (housing) and heat that space. Build a zillion cars, heat that space, start the motor....heating the air.
How can you then tell me all this is NOT heating the earth.
Fact.
Cities retain heat.
Fact.
All cities are consistently warmer than surrounding countryside.
Look on the weather network ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.
Maybe you're in the oil business?
Maybe you're just blind.
Maybe you see but aren't looking.
I suggest you do some more research before you make ridiculous statements like that. What we need is action, not ignorance.
They deal with this in a similar way Americans and Canadians deal with the West Nile Virus during the warmer months.
You know that virus with no cure or treatment that mosquitos spread all over North America, but doesn't exist in Dom Rep?
The same way people in places infected with WNV protect themselves is more or less the way people in places with Dengue protect themselves. They are both spread by mosquitos and there are a few ways people can lower the risk of being bitten by one.
-NALs:surprised
They deal with this in a similar way Americans and Canadians deal with the West Nile Virus during the warmer months in North America.
You know that virus with no cure or treatment that mosquitos spread all over North America, but doesn't exist in Dom Rep?
The same way people in places infected with WNV protect themselves is more or less the way people in places with Dengue protect themselves. They are both spread by mosquitos and there are a few ways people can lower the risk of being bitten by one.
-NALs:surprised
You know that virus with no cure or treatment that mosquitos spread all over North America, but doesn't exist in Dom Rep?
The same way people in places infected with WNV protect themselves is more or less the way people in places with Dengue protect themselves. They are both spread by mosquitos and there are a few ways people can lower the risk of being bitten by one.
-NALs:surprised
I'd like to know where you got the word "epidemic" at this time? I live here and yes I am an ex pat. I know of one person who has got it. But that is all. Did I miss something? OR is this not a serious problem?
I am not suggesting it isn't serious when you get it. My question: what are the numbers, % etc compared to other years? Anyone know?
I am not suggesting it isn't serious when you get it. My question: what are the numbers, % etc compared to other years? Anyone know?
It can be anywhere in the country--including Santo Domingo. They--the mosquitos that carry DF tend to be in urban areas. They like wet, rainy places. So if there are lots of still bodies of water--- you can have mosquitos.
Not to be smart but it rains a lot in the DR. --including Santo Domingo.
It's a chance you take with living in paradise.
Not to be smart but it rains a lot in the DR. --including Santo Domingo.
It's a chance you take with living in paradise.
I as an ex-pat have lived here for 11 years and have never gotten dengue. I also never use insect repellant. I do have my fans on at all times and my house has screen on all the windows and doors. Whether I am playing against a stacked deck is debatable but as I said I haven't been struck yet.
There is this article from last October. I just found this article. As you can see there have been 3 reported deaths this year with 900 cases of dengue of which 46 were of the more serious strain of the disease. You will notice from this article that 2006 had 6,252 cases of dengue of which 236 were the more serious strain and it resulted in 49 deaths. You will also note that the Public Health Ministry spends 1.8 million dollars annually to help fight this disease. Here is another article.
Hope this helps.
Rick
PabloPaul I have this film that I really wish you would watch. After watching it if you should decide to want to comment on it do so per PM and not on this board.
There is this article from last October. I just found this article. As you can see there have been 3 reported deaths this year with 900 cases of dengue of which 46 were of the more serious strain of the disease. You will notice from this article that 2006 had 6,252 cases of dengue of which 236 were the more serious strain and it resulted in 49 deaths. You will also note that the Public Health Ministry spends 1.8 million dollars annually to help fight this disease. Here is another article.
Hope this helps.
Rick
PabloPaul I have this film that I really wish you would watch. After watching it if you should decide to want to comment on it do so per PM and not on this board.
This expat a) doesn't view it as a 'problem' but as a possibility for which she b) uses mosquito repellant on face, arms & ankles (more so a few days after heavy rains) c) wears long trousers d) uses mosquito netting on her bed e) has read up on the symptoms f) has even diagnosed another expat over the phone
g) knows the difference between hemorrhagic dengue and non-hemorrhagic dengue h) knows to take acetominophen NOT aspirin and consult doctor (there's an injection they give here which eases symptoms but can't, of course do much more) and h) isn't leaving the country. No province of DR is a dengue exclusion zone and no we don't lock ourselves inside since mossies are nosy little b***ers and would climb through the keyhole........:laugh: This is one of those rare areas where those expats who do know about dengue tend to know more than many locals and thus won't have open containers of water hanging around. Course, after the rains of this week it would make no difference since the mossies have an abundance of breeeding pools.So basically we take precautions & then forget about it & get on with life.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/dengue/resources/DengueFactSheet.pdf
Lambada is always right . Could not agree more. What's next a lung pollution wave from motoconchos !
Thank you, Lambada,
it's exactly the way I wanted to learn about DF. BTW, there is something else more annoying than DF where you live ? I'm talking disease, epidemics, insects, reptiles.
it's exactly the way I wanted to learn about DF. BTW, there is something else more annoying than DF where you live ? I'm talking disease, epidemics, insects, reptiles.
I think malaria can be more annoying than dengue but I guess that can be subject to debate!
At least there is medication to cure you if you catch (the deadly type in time) malaria. There is nothing for dengue. Dengue you have to suffer until it ends. If you catch the deadly type there is nothing you can do. If your immune system can't fight it off........ you die.
At least there is medication to cure you if you catch (the deadly type in time) malaria. There is nothing for dengue. Dengue you have to suffer until it ends. If you catch the deadly type there is nothing you can do. If your immune system can't fight it off........ you die.
I know this is not a politically correct thing to say, but wtf, I'm going to say it anyway because everyone who lives in the DR either part-time or full know this to be true!
Where ever you have a high number of Haitians, for some reason, Malaria is never too far away.
Yes, it's spread by mosquitos, but mosquitos can only transmit the malaria once they bit a person who is already infected with the disease. Malaria cases are more numerous in Haiti than in the DR and with the migration of Haitians into the DR, it should be no surprise that this is the case.
I know Haitians are often blamed for many things, many of which are exaggerated, but the malaria issue seems to be right on.
-NALs
Yeah..............don't get me started. :laugh: (It's ok it's a joke & you're probably too new to know that I can be fairly opinionated about 2 legged foreign residents who whine about Dominicans or the DR because it isn't like home etc etc). Have you done a search of the forums on this topic? There are quite a few threads on different health/insect matters. Some of the tiniest ants can give you a nip out of all proportion to their size. But in answer to do I find any of it annoying? No, I don't. With, of course, the possible exception of people who think a specific nationality is responsible for spreading a particular infirmity...........fortunately not a problem where I live since we appear to have a dearth of low-flying Haitians who bite people..........
There are going to be quite a few barrio dwellers in Puerto Plata (probably elsewhere, too) who get chest infections, gripe in the next few days/weeks. I doubt if it'll be an epidemic but many are sleeping on damp beds, in damp sheets etc (because of floods) so it should come as no great surprise. All overcomeable with hefty doses of vitamin C - oranges are inexpensive here. There are also going to be a lot more mossies because of all the pools of water; so if people don't normally use repellant it wouldn't be a bad idea to start, in the short term, at least.
Hey!There are quite a few threads on different health/insect matters. Some of the tiniest ants can give you a nip out of all proportion to their size. But in answer to do I find any of it annoying? No, I don't. With, of course, the possible exception of people who think a specific nationality is responsible for spreading a particular infirmity...........fortunately not a problem where I live since we appear to have a dearth of low-flying Haitians who bite people..........
I'm not the only one who have noticed such malaria "trend", take a peek in here and read the third post.
Hmm, who said I was right???
That person is not just anybody, but a respected someone.
-NALs
I looked. I didn't see the word 'Haitians' once in Hillbilly's post. He mentioned African countries like Togo and the Cameroons which incidentally don't have many Haitians either. But they are known countries for malaria.
Don't hijack the thread Nals. Andrewc was asking about epidemics of things like dengue. He wasn't asking about epidemics of Haitians.
But they are known countries for malaria.Don't hijack the thread Nals. Andrewc was asking about epidemics of things like dengue. He wasn't asking about epidemics of Haitians.