The Ministry of Public Health’s Epidemiology Department Coronavirus Bulletin #359 reports 164 new PCR cases for the Friday, 12 March 2021 deadline. The cases compare to the 7-day nationwide average for PCR confirmed cases that is 399. For 22 consecutive days, the number of PCR reported cases has kept under 1,000.
As per Bulletin #359 with the deadline of 12 March 2021, the Ministry of Public Health has registered 245,616 confirmed cases since the first case on 1 March 2020. Partial curfew has been in place since 18 March 2020.
The nationwide 4-week positivity rate is 11.41%, down from the previous day. The 24-hour positivity for the day is a record low of 4.43%, down from the previous day. The number of reported active cases continues to decline and is now at 41,024 up (-411) down from the previous 24 hours. There is a marked downward trend in the reported active cases in the Dominican Republic.
Despite the reduction in curfew hours and the consequential increase in mobility, Covid-19 seems to be under control and its spread declining in the Dominican Republic, as of the 12 March bulletin. The fewer Covid-19 cases are occurring as the nation is immersed in a nationwide vaccination effort. As of 12 March, 660,000 persons of the targeted 7.8 million people have been vaccinated through 11 March 2021. Medical workers and those 68 years and older, and those 60+ with comorbidities were the first to be vaccinated. Also, school teachers and health care workers. Those 18+ accompanying a person of 80+ were also vaccinated.
As of Friday, 12 March, the government announced through 27 March it is vaccinating those with appointments who have made appointments through https://www.vacunaterd.gob.do and those in public school pre-school and elementary grades.
Private labs have special facilities for those requiring results in time for travel abroad. Results of PCR tests can be had in 24 hours for those presenting a valid airline ticket at Referencia Lab branches in Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata, La Romana and Punta Cana. Antigen tests results can be had in three hours at Referencia and Amadita labs in the same locations. Nevertheless, travelers are recommended to make arrangements with extra time.
Canada and Spain are requiring all entering that country to show negative results of a PCR test carried out within 72 hours before the traveler’s scheduled departure to those countries. The US requires travelers show negative antigen or PCR test results taken within 72 hours of the arrival to US territory.
No Covid-related new deaths are recorded for the Friday, 12 March 2021 deadline, yet the bulletin reports one death occurring in the previous 24 hours of the deadline. The Ministry of Public Health says the large number of total reported deaths are due to general delays in the hospitals’ paperwork. The authorities register 3,213 Covid-19-related deaths since March 2020.
Vice President Raquel Peña advanced over the weekend that the curfew is being left as is. The government maintains the preventive measures in place that have shown to be effective in slowing the pace of the spread of the virus. Decree 133-21 establishes that from 3 to 17 March 2021, the curfew is from 9pm (up from 7pm) to 5am. There is a three-hour free transit window on Monday to Friday (to 12am – midnight, up from 10pm), regardless of whether the day falls on a holiday. On Saturdays 20 March and 27 March and Sundays 21 and 28 March 2021, the curfew starts at 7pm with a three-hour commute period (until 10pm).
Open-air public spaces, such as parks and boulevards, can be used for activities other than social gatherings and always complying with preventive health protocols. Gyms, restaurants and bars are allowed to reopen to 60% of their capacity. A maximum of six persons per table is allowed, among other health protocols. Religious ceremonies are allowed three days a week, as long as they keep within 60% of the capacity of the church and churchgoers must keep their masks on during the service. Theaters have resumed showings under health protocols. Schools continue officially closed for in-person learning.
Hotels and resorts continue to operate under previously established less restrictive health protocols.
The government began to vaccinate for the Covid-19 virus on 16 February 2021. The first phase of vaccinations covered the around 12,000 front line staff at clinics and hospitals that see Covid-19 patients. Two first batches of 20,000 and 30,000 doses of Covishield arrived from the India Oxford-AstraZeneca manufacturing plant since 15 February 2021. The next shipment was one of 768,000 doses of Sinovac/Coronavac vaccine that arrived on 23 February 2021 from China for the continuing of the National Vaccination Plan. The government expects to receive additional batches of Sinovac vaccines and others purchased from India, China and Russia to maintain the pace of the vaccination plan. The Dominican government has also contracted vaccines with UK manufacturers of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech and others, through the World Health Organization-Covax Facility.
The government has vaccinated Covid-19 front line workers and thousands of the country’s medical staff. It is now focused on vaccinating pre-school and elementary school teachers.
The Ministry of Public Health continues to mandate keeping to the preventive measures of mask-wearing and physical distancing in public spaces and hand hygiene. In the cities, mask-wearing is the norm and is mandatory. Mask-wearing is relaxed in beach properties.
The Dominican Republic continues under a National State of Emergency. The Presidency enacted Decree 95-21 that extends the National State of Emergency for another 45-day period from 2 March to 15 April 2021.
By regional standards, the Dominican Republic has been relatively successful at treating Covid-19 and keeping the number of deaths low. For the 12 March 2021 deadline, Worldometer lists the 1M deaths per inhabitant rate for the Dominican Republic at 295. According to the same 1M deaths statistics, fewer people have died of Covid-19 in the Dominican Republic than in the United Kingdom at 1,842, Italy at 1,691, the United States at 1,646, Spain at 1,545, France at 1,383, Brazil at 1,302, Colombia at 1,191, Argentina at 1,179, Germany 881, Russia at 631 and Canada at 591, all major markets for Dominican tourism and countries with overall better health systems.
The number of deaths continues relatively low. As of the 12 March 2021 deadline, 3,213 persons are reported to have died of the disease in the Dominican Republic, a nation of more than 10.9 million people. The fatality rate is 1.31%. The fatality rate per 1M inhabitants is 307.51. Dominican physicians’ diverse treatment for the disease has been relatively successful in the region. The Ministry of Public Health reports that the country’s 307.51 fatality rate per 1M compares favorably to the average 1M inhabitants’ fatality rate for the Americas at 1,217.35.
The Ministry of Public Health report #359 indicates 19% of Covid-19 hospital beds are occupied (512 of 2,643 total available), with little variation. 33% of the intensive care units for Covid-19 are taken (178 of 541 beds), with little variation from the previous day. The hospitalization statistics are for all the country. Hospitalization demand in Greater Santo Domingo, Santiago and other major cities is much higher than the national average.
The past seven days bulletin results are:
Bulletin #359: 245,616 confirmed cases, 164 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, 41,024 active cases, no deaths are reported for the deadline, and yet one is reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.31%, fatality rate per 1M is 307.51.
Bulletin #358: 245,452 confirmed cases, 529 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, 41,317 active cases, 9 deaths are reported for the deadline, and 5 reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.31%, fatality rate per 1M is 307.51.
Bulletin #357: 244,923 confirmed cases, 755 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, 41,435 active cases, 6 deaths are reported for the deadline, and 5 reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.31%, fatality rate per 1M is 306.65.
Bulletin #356: 244,168 confirmed cases, 390 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, 41,324 active cases, 7 deaths are reported for the deadline, and two reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.31%, fatality rate per 1M is 306.07.
Bulletin #355: 243,778 confirmed cases, 252 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, 41,640 active cases, 12 deaths are reported for the deadline, and none reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.31%, fatality rate per 1M is 305.40.
Bulletin #354: 243,526 confirmed cases, 279 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, 41,961 active cases, 7 deaths are reported for the deadline, and two reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.31%, fatality rate per 1M is 304.25.
Bulletin #353: 243,247 confirmed cases, 587 new cases reported in the past 24 hours, 42,453 active cases, 10 deaths are reported for the deadline, and two reported happening in the past 24 hours. The fatality rate is 1.30%, fatality rate per 1M is 303.58.
Greater Santo Domingo continues to lead in the number of reported PCR cases. As of 12 March 2021 at 6pm, the deadline for Bulletin #359, the most confirmed cases have been reported in the National District (70,139) and the Santo Domingo province (48,721). The numbers account for around 48% of the 245,616 confirmed cases nationwide.
Other provinces are: Santiago (27,392), La Vega (9,970), La Altagracia (9,101), Puerto Plata (7,547), La Romana (7,440), San Cristóbal (7,300), Duarte (6,355), Espaillat (5,113), San Juan de la Maguana (3,640), Monseñor Nouel (3,428), San Pedro de Macoris (3,276), Sánchez Ramírez (3,101), Maria Trinidad Sánchez (3,054), Azua (3,000), Barahona (2,622), Valverde (2,430), Hermanas Mirabal (2,319), Peravia (2,061), Baoruco (1,355), Monte Plata (1,197), Montecristi (1,127), Santiago Rodriguez (1,123), Dajabón (1,030), Independencia (967), Samaná (879), El Seibo (876), San José de Ocoa (805), Hato Mayor (799), Pedernales (635) and Elías Piña province, on the border with Haiti, is the only province to register less than 500 cases. Elías Piña reports 404 cases as of the 12 March 2021 deadline.
The Ministry indicates that the newest allocated cases (more than 9) reported for 12 March 2021 update deadline are: Santo Domingo (37), National District (16) and La Altagracia (10).
Haiti reports 12,632 confirmed cases and 250 deaths, for the 12 March 2021 deadline. Experts attribute the low number of deaths in Haiti in part due to extensive vaccinating of babies with the tuberculosis vaccine and widespread use of ivermectin for parasites that have raised the immunity of the population. In person education has continued regularly in Haiti and most people do not wear masks.
In the Americas, the Dominican Republic is now ranked 12th in confirmed PCR cases after the United States, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Canada, Chile, Panama, Ecuador and Bolivia.
Read more:
Decree 95-21
Decree 133-21
VacunateRD
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
14 March 2021