Minister of Public Health Freddy Hidalgo Nunez has confirmed reports of a cholera outbreak in Moca with at least 323 people being treated for cholera symptoms the Toribio Bencosme hospital in the last four days. So far 24 people have been hospitalized.
The Minister said that it had been necessary to guard the banks of the Moca River to stop people from coming into contact with contaminated water as their initial tests suggest that the river is the source of the outbreak. However he added that the authorities were waiting for definitive results before this could be confirmed.
Most of the victims were given rehydration therapy and medicines and sent home, and an educational campaign in the province is teaching people how the disease is spread.
There also appears to be an outbreak in the capital with the Moscoso Puello and Luis Eduardo Aybar hospitals receiving patients from areas that include Guachupita, Mata San Juan de Villa Mella, Los Guaricanos, Capotillo, Simon Bolivar and San Bartolo de Los Frailes II.
Official statistics show that there were 6,205 suspected cases of cholera from January to the end of October with 47 deaths. The Public Health Ministry has a yellow alert for the provinces of Santiago, San Pedro de Macoris, Monsenor Nouel (Bonao) and the National District.
The newspapers report that most of the cases appear to be occurring in areas where there is no garbage collection and raw sewage goes into the local rivers, which are the main water sources for the affected neighborhoods.
www.hoy.com.do/el-pais/2012/11/5/453580/323-con-sintomas-de-colera-rio-Moca-esta-contaminado
www.elcaribe.com.do/2012/11/06/colera-resurge-barrios-hospitales-del-distrito-nacional