The Ministry of Public Health’s Epidemiology Department Coronavirus Bulletin #276 reports 1,322 new PCR confirmed cases. The 7-day nationwide average for PCR confirmed cases has increased to 813, reflecting a gradual rising trend in infections. Two new deaths are reported for the Saturday, 19 December 2020 deadline, including two in the previous 24 hours of the deadline.
Labs carried out 7,925 first PCR tests in time for the Saturday, 19 December 2020 report deadline. The 14-day average is 5,207. The country can process 10,000 PCR tests a day.
The 4-week positivity rate is 13.26%, up slightly. The 24-hour positivity for the day is 16.68%. The number of reported active cases is now 33,726, again up slightly from the previous day.
The Dominican Republic continues under a National State of Emergency through 15 January 2021. The Ministry of Public Health is concerned that home and friends’ gatherings and increased mobility may lead to the same virus flare-ups that affect other countries worldwide. The Ministry of Public Health is carrying out corporate and shopping mall testing operations to reach out to the general population and catch asymptomatic cases.
Public Health Minister Plutarco Arias warns that data shows 75% of people testing positive in the Dominican Republic are asymptomatic. Arrivals from abroad are increasing as travel picks up and for the Christmas holidays. There is the real possibility that travelers from countries with higher spread of Covid-19, and who do not show symptoms, may come and infect their friends and relatives. It is important that all new arrivals staying at homes wear masks, keep physical distance and self-quarantine for 10 days as a preventive measure. Tourists should adhere to safety protocols at their hotels, wear masks, keep physical distances and practice continuing hand hygiene.
The Dominican Republic has by regional standards been relatively successful at treating Covid-19 and keeping the number of deaths to a minimum. For the 19 December 2020 deadline, Worldometer lists the 1M deaths per inhabitant rate for the Dominican Republic at 219. According to the same 1M deaths statistics, fewer people have died of Covid-19 in the Dominican Republic than in Italy at 1,139, Spain at 1,046, the United Kingdom at 990, the United States at 977, Argentina at 920, France at 925, Brazil at 874, Colombia at 787 and Canada at 375, all major markets for Dominican tourism.
The good weather year-round allows for people to gather outside in the Dominican Republic. Restaurants that offer outside dining and are packed with people seeking to enjoy time with friends and relatives outside the home. The new restrictions, nevertheless, order these to shut down by 7pm every day of the week. Delivery is authorized through 12 midnight. The most recent Covid measures are in Decree 698-20 that bans gatherings of groups of more than 10 persons. The restrictions, nevertheless, do not apply to resorts that operate under different health protocols.
The Ministry of Public Health continues to recommend keeping to the evening curfew and preventive measures. In the cities, mask-wearing is the norm. Decree 698-20 also establshed a ban on alcohol beverage sales after 6pm until further notice. The Covid-19 curfew is now lowered to 7pm, while an extra two-hour transit period through 9pm is allowed to give people time to get home. Businesses now need to close by 7pm in Greater Santo Domingo (National District and Santo Domingo province), Santiago, La Vega, Duarte and Puerto Plata provinces.
The curfew hours for circulation for other provinces are from 9pm to 5am Monday to Friday, and 7pm to 5am on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. This will continue to be effective for provinces outside of Greater Santo Domingo, Santiago, La Vega, Duarte and Puerto Plata. This means, people in La Altagracia (Punta Cana), La Romana (Casa de Campo), San Pedro de Macoris (Juan Dolio) and Samaná (Las Terrenas, Samaná and Las Galeras) can still frequent restaurants as long as they get home by 9pm. The restrictions do not apply in resorts that operate under globally-established health protocols.
The President and the health authorities say the health indicators closer to the holiday festivities will determine if these measures are relaxed or toughened. There is no expiration date on the stricter curfew.
As per Bulletin #276, with the deadline of 19 December 2020, the Ministry of Public Health has registered 160,386 confirmed cases since the first case on 1 March 2020. Partial curfew has been in place since 18 March 2020.
The number of deaths continues relatively low. As of the 19 December bulletin, 2,384 persons had died of the disease in the Dominican Republic, a nation of more than 10.5 million people. The fatality rate is 1.49% over the past four weeks. This rate has been consistently dropping for the past five months. The fatality rate per 1M inhabitants is 228.17. Dominican treatment for the disease has been relatively successful in the region. The Ministry of Public Health reports that the country’s 228 fatality rate per 1M compares favorably to the average 1M inhabitants’ fatality rate for the Americas at 723.
The Ministry of Public Health report #276 keeps an upward trend for hospitalization units. 36% of Covid-19 hospital beds are occupied (892 of 2,508 total available). 53% of the intensive care units for Covid-19 are taken (247 of 464 beds).
The past 14 days bulletin results are:
Bulletin #276: 160,386 confirmed cases, 1,322 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, two deaths are reported for the deadline, two happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.49%, fatality rate per 1M is 228.17.
Bulletin #275: 159,064 confirmed cases, 1,135 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, six deaths are reported for the deadline, three happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.50%, fatality rate per 1M is 227.98.
Bulletin #274: 157,929 confirmed cases, 624 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, one death is reported for the deadline, none happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.50%, fatality rate per 1M is 227.40.
Bulletin #273: 157,305 confirmed cases, 720 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, three deaths are reported for the deadline, none happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.51%, fatality rate per 1M is 227.31.
Bulletin #272: 156,585 confirmed cases, 788 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, three deaths are reported for the deadline, one happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.51%, fatality rate per 1M is 227.02.
Bulletin #271: 155,797 confirmed cases, 613 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, three deaths are reported for the deadline, one happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.52%, fatality rate per 1M is 226.54.
Bulletin #270: 155,184 confirmed cases, 492 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, three deaths are reported for the deadline, with none happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.52%, fatality rate per 1M is 226.25.
Bulletin #269: 154,692 confirmed cases, 1,107 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, one death is reported for the deadline, with one death happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.53%, fatality rate per 1M is 225.97.
Bulletin #268: 153,585 confirmed cases, 1,133 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, one death is reported for the deadline, with one death happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.54%, fatality rate per 1M is 225.87.
Bulletin #267: 151,721 confirmed cases, 731 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, one death is reported for the deadline, with one death happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.55%, fatality rate per 1M is 225.77.
Bulletin #266: 151,721 confirmed cases, 1,560 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, eight deaths are reported for the deadline, with three deaths happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.55%, fatality rate per 1M is 225.68.
Bulletin #265: 150,161 confirmed cases, 531 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, three deaths are reported for the deadline, while no deaths are reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.56%, fatality rate per 1M is 224.91.
Bulletin #264: 149,630 confirmed cases, 492 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, one death is reported for the deadline, while no deaths are reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.57%, fatality rate per 1M is 224.63.
Bulletin #263: 149,138 confirmed cases, 685 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, one death is reported for the deadline, while no deaths are reported happening in the past 24 hours, fatality is 1.57%, fatality rate per 1M is 224.53.
Greater Santo Domingo continues to lead in the number of reported PCR cases. As of 19 December at 6pm, the deadline for Bulletin #276, the most confirmed cases have been reported in the National District (42,988) and the Santo Domingo province (32,614). The numbers account for almost 47% of the 160,386 confirmed cases nationwide.
Other provinces with more than 500 cases are: Santiago (16,496), La Vega (6,436), La Altagracia (5,765), San Cristóbal (5,433), La Romana (5,180), Duarte (4,835), Puerto Plata (4,619), Espaillat (3,120), Monseñor Nouel (2,596), San Juan de la Maguana (2,473), Sánchez Ramírez (2,342), Barahona (2,201), Azua (2,161), San Pedro de Macoris (2,029), Maria Trinidad Sánchez (1,545), Peravia (1,487), Hermanas Mirabal (1,185), Valverde (1,155), Baoruco (1,029), Independencia (768), Santiago Rodriguez (763), Monte Plata (673), San José de Ocoa (645), Samaná (596), El Seibo (591), Pedernales (567), Hato Mayor (524) and Dajabón (506). Elías Piña province, on the border with Haiti, is the only province to register less than 500 cases. Elías Piña reports 260 cases for the 19 December deadline.
The Ministry indicates that the newest allocated cases (more than 9) reported for 19 December 2020 update deadline are: National District (455), Santo Domingo (183), Santiago (168), La Vega (62), La Altagracia (57), Duarte (39), Puerto Plata (34), Monseñor Nouel (28), Sánchez Ramírez (21), María Trinidad Sánchez (19), San Cristóbal (17), Espaillat (16), San Pedro de Macorís (15), Peravia (14), Montecristi (13) and La Romana (10).
Haiti reports 9,674 confirmed cases and 234 deaths, for the 19 December 2020 deadline. The number of deaths for Haiti has only increased by two case since 26 October, reflecting the database is not being maintained.
In the Americas, the Dominican Republic is now ranked 12th in confirmed cases after the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Canada, Ecuador, Bolivia and Panama.
See the Ministry of Public Health epidemiological
bulletins
John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center
University of Washington Health Data
University of Oxford Covid Tracker
Worldometer
Our World in Data
SICA
20 December 2020