The Haitian government, via the director general of the Ministry of Health of Haiti, Guirlaine Raymond Charite, has informed the Haitian population that at least 15 people have died from the AH1N1 flu virus in the Dominican Republic. The Ministry of Public Health in the Dominican Republic has only confirmed six deaths.
Quoted in the Le Nouvelliste newspaper, following a press conference, Raymond said that the virus is not yet in Haiti, which is why the local authorities have declared a state of alert, especially in the four provinces which border the Dominican Republic, in order to stop the virus from crossing the border.
The Haitian government has also banned the import of Dominican chickens and eggs, due to a supposed outbreak of avian flu, to try and prevent avian flu virus entering Haiti. Dominican authorities deny that the virus is present in the Dominican Republic. The announcement of the ban on poultry imports came a day after President Michel Martelly and President Danilo Medina met in Haiti and Medina announced the Dominican Republic would contribute to the reforestation of Haiti.
In a statement on Friday, 7 June Dominican Ambassador to Haiti Ruben Silie said that Haiti has erroneously reported that there is an outbreak of avian flu in the Dominican Republic as grounds for banning import of meats, chicken and eggs. The measure encourages smuggling.
Dominican Public Health official Rafael Schiffino has explained that the six deaths were due to human influenza flu and not avian flu.
The World Health Organisation declared the DR free of bird flu three years ago.
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/6/8/280001/Haiti-exagera-cantidad-de-muertos-por-H1N1-en-RD