Experts say the explanation for the high number of positive cases is that several circumstances combined for a perfect storm situation for the virus. Take a country with very large numbers of expats and tourists traveling in and out, the best air connections in the Caribbean and Central America, a booming cruise ship business, and add to that an intense electoral process, February carnival events, the gregarious nature of the population, and the humongous yet inadequate public health system. That explains why the DR now has the highest number of reported cases.
The first case of the virus was confirmed on 1 March 2020. In a month’s time, there are already 901 confirmed cases, according to Bulletin 11 that registers cases up to 29 March 2020.
The actual number of Covid-19 cases is unknown and should be much higher than the official number. The official numbers do not yet include people who have had mild symptoms and were not tested, or did not seek medical help, or perhaps were asymptomatic, meaning their infection was so mild that they didn’t even know they had Covid-19. This situation is the same for most countries around the world.
Speaking during 30 March press briefing, Public Health Minister Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas says the ministry is carrying out research to have a better picture of the behavior of the disease in the country. He said it is not true the virus is performing in the Dominican Republic the way it did in Italy or Spain. He stressed that anyone who compares Italy and the Dominican Republic is ignoring that the demography in the Dominican Republic is very different than that of Italy or Spain. He said New York has a higher fatality rate. “We will soon present new information to dispute those who want to present the country as the worst case that it is not,” he said.
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Presidencia
31 March 2020