Given the Dominican Republic is the best-connected country in the Caribbean, it was not a matter of if, but of when, the first case of Covid-19 coronavirus would be announced. On Sunday, 1 March 2020, the Ministry of Public Health confirmed the country’s first case, a 62-year old Italian tourist from Pesaro who had arrived for a vacation at the Viva Dominicus Resort in Bayahibe, La Romana.
The man reportedly flew into the La Romana International Airport on 22 February and was scheduled to leave on 29 February. He is now hospitalized at the Ramon de Lara air force hospital at the San Isidro Air Base outside of Santo Domingo. In a video, he demonstrated for his family and friends that his case was slight. The photos that have been circulating show him standing and active.
The hotel chain Viva Resorts said the tourist was a guest at the hotel and the case was handled according to international protocols in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health. The company says so far no other guests had tested positive for the virus.
The hotel established that the guest had arrived without symptoms that would call attention. When he showed a mild to moderate flu-like illness and moderate fever, epidemiological controls kicked in. The hotel reports that the guest was isolated from the other guests and employees. The Ministry of Public Health was notified and immediately sent a team specialized in the management of this type of case that took control of the process and decided to transfer the guest to the air force hospital. Tests later confirmed that the unnamed Italian was the first Dominican coronavirus patient.
The hotel says that under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health and working with trained staff in international protocols, the resort underwent a thorough sanitization process using special state of the art products. Also, all persons who were in contact with the guest are under surveillance by specialized personnel from the Ministry of Health.
In a statement, Viva Resorts, says that the health of their guests, today and always, is their priority. “We are grateful for the confidence of our guests and collaborators in our ability to handle the situation. We also express our appreciation to the Ministry of Public Health for its prompt response and the professionalism shown in the process and the support offered to proceed according to international protocol.”
The Ministry of Public Health over the weekend had said it had around 30 persons under surveillance for the disease. This includes a Frenchman, an Italian teenager and a Swiss 3-year old child.
The Dominican Republic becomes the 62nd country in the world where the novel virus has been detected.
Diario Libre’s editorial on Monday, 2 March 2020 tells Dominicans not to be alarmed. It reminds Dominicans about the low mortality of the virus and the controls already in place at airports and maritime ports. “What we all should do is take the preventive measures to not catch the virus, following the instructions of the Ministry of Public Health and normal hygiene measures to avoid the transmission of the disease,” writes the editorialist.
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El Dia
2 March 2020