Re: NO Malaria risk in Punta Cana
This notice was published on the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) USA web site in February 2000. It is a follow up of a published report on an outbreak of malaria in December 1999 in the Altagracia Province of the Dominican Republic. From December until February it was recommended to take chloroquine prophylaxis however, after February 17, 2000 the outbreak was considered over and no longer a threat and the prophylaxis order was recinded. A copy of the notice follows below. You may want to also check the CDC at the link below for more information and have your questions answered by experts in tropical medicine.
Notice
In December 1999, CDC revised its recommendations for travelers to the Altagracia Province of the Dominican Republic. This revision was based on reports of a localized outbreak of malaria in this province which included cases in tourists who stayed only in resort areas. Tourists traveling to resorts in the Altagracia Province were advised to take chloroquine prophylaxis. Control measures undertaken by the Ministry of Health in the Dominican Republic have eliminated local transmission in and around these resort areas. Intensified surveillance indicates that the outbreak is over. Therefore, as of February 17, 2000, CDC is no longer recommending chloroquine prophylaxis for travelers to resort areas in the Dominican Republic, but continues to recommend it for travelers to rural areas of the Dominican Republic, excluding resort areas. CDC together with the Ministry of Health in the Dominican Republic will be monitoring the situation closely.
