Epidemiologist José Ernesto Guerrero explained to N Digital what Puerto Plata did right to avoid hundreds falling ill after a religious fanatic, Migdomio Adames, lead a religious march through the city. What has Puerto Plata done better than the National District or San Francisco de Macoris
The doctor explained that the cases have not increased because most of the people who attended the pilgrimage were young people who wore facial masks. He observed that the event took place outdoors, further reducing the possibility of spreading the disease.
He said that the crowds did not last long. Nevertheless, he said many could be in the asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic phase. “That we do not know yet,” he said. “We don’t have results of an antibody test that could tell us the level of immunity in the population, or how many people were exposed to the disease. We are waiting to collect that information,” he said.
Dr. Guerrero says that the confirmed spike of the disease in Villa Juana sector of the National District is more severe than what happened in Puerto Plata. He said a large percentage of tests carried out in that barrio came back positive for Covid-19.
Dr. Roberto Ureña headed an initiative when of 311 PCR tests were carried out and 95 people tested positive. “That is, they are highly contagious. Based on that information, I would have begun extensive work to isolate and carry out contact tracing of those who tested positive with others,” remarked Dr. Guerrero on the Ureña initiative.
Dr. Guerrero said that the number of people infected in Puerto Plata is much lower than the cases registered in the National District and Santo Domingo province. Puerto Plata has 297 confirmed cases, including 2 new cases as of Bulletin #55 with tests as of 12 May 2020. The province has a cumulative 18 deaths. This compares to 2,853 confirmed cases, 112 new cases, and 56 deaths for the National District for the same day.
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N Digital
14 May 2020