Can it be done? Legally, probably not unless ordered by the High Commission for the Prevention of Coronavirus under the State of Emergency act.
The governor of El Seibo wants to keep El Seibo free of Covid-19. On Monday evening, 23 March 2020, the Medina administration issued Decree 136-20 banning the isolation actions.
Provincial governor Gerardo Casanova had said that the city would adhere to the government curfew of shutdown from 8pm to 6am, but has plans to take it a step further.
“El Seibo is one of the places in the country where there are not yet any coronavirus cases, so it is necessary to protect the population,” explained Casanova.
The governor of San Jose de Ocoa hopes to be able to enforce a similar disposition for his own province. As of Monday, 23 March 2020 there were no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the province of San Jose de Ocoa. Governor Abraham Martinez authorized the partial closure of the entrance and exit to this province, in response to a request by the population.
Already the mayor of San José de Ocoa, Aneudy Ortiz Sajiun, had requested that President Danilo Medina authorize taking the actions to prevent the spreading of the disease in Ocoa.
Pedernales and Elías Piña authorities had also expressed interest in isolating their population. On Monday, 23 March, nevertheless, the military was restricting the entrance to Elías Piña on the border with Haiti to Dominicans and foreigners to the municipality. The measure was being enforced by municipal public health and military authorities.
The commander of the third brigade of the Dominican Republic Army -ERD-, with seat in San Juan de la Maguana, Ramón Belén Pichardo (Monchy), confirmed the measure, while warning that all the checkpoints the military have precise instructions to detour any vehicle en route to this municipality.
Colonel Ramón Belén Pichardo said that agglomeration of Haitians and Dominicans in the local public market are now being controlled. He said small businesses are allowed to sell food items for restricted periods of time.
As of Sunday, 22 March 2020, the Ministry of Public Health had reported there were cases tested positive in 20 of 31 provinces and the National District. The total of cases as of Sunday was 245.
These are the provinces where cases of coronavirus have occurred: National District, 108; Azua, 2; Barahona, 1; Duarte, 17; Espaillat (Moca), 1; La Altagracia (Higuey and Punta Cana), 7; La Romana, 6; La Vega, 7; María Trinidad Sánchez (Nagua), 2 and Puerto Plata, 3. Also, Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), 3; Samaná, 4; San Cristóbal, 1; San Juan, 2; San Pedro de Macorís, 7; Sánchez Ramírez (Cotuí), 1; Santiago, 30; Valverde, 1; Monsignor Nouel (Bonao), 3 and Santo Domingo 39.
The director of the National Health System (SNS), Chanel Chupani Rosa criticized the attitude by the governor saying that the closing of entry rodes is an obstacle to government efforts to help the people in the province.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
Hoy
Listin Diario
Hoy
24 March 2020