The 4-week Covid-19 positivity rate is at 14.81%, with the 24-hour positivity rate at 20.00, as per Covid-19 Bulletin #1,012 dated 25 December 2022.
The number of Covid-19 registered cases in the Dominican Republic for Bulletin #1,012 was just 2, a low reflecting probably that people stayed away from medical care on the Christmas holiday. Only 10 first-time lab tests were carried out at registered labs.
The number of Covid-19 cases is said to be much more, with most going undiagnosed or diagnosed with home antigen kits. With very few exceptions, most cases are being treated as a cold at home.
The Ministry of Public Health is encouraging people to up their vaccination status, with a third, fourth or fifth vaccine that are available for free in the Dominican Republic. The analysis of samples from people recently infected with Covid-19 confirms the subvariant of the Omicron strain, known as XBB, is circulating in the country. The new variant is not worse than the Omicron, but does spread rapidly. The symptoms are a cough, runny nose and fever.
The number of Covid-19 cases had increased as the weather is now chilly in the evenings and early mornings. More people are congregating inside, meaning greater possibilities for spreading the virus. But most people are just seeing Covid as a seasonal cold.
The number of active cases is at 633. The seven-day active cases average is now 1,291 with a downward trend.
Except in hospitals, every day less people wear facial masks in the Dominican Republic. Nevertheless, in recent days, given the impact of seasonal influenza, more people are again using face masks as a preventive measure.
As per Bulletin #1,012, with the deadline of 25 December 2022, the Ministry of Public Health has registered 658,668 PCR or antigen-confirmed cases since the first case on 1 March 2020. The number of first time lab tests was 10 for 25 December. The number of PCR tests were but 18 for the #1,012 deadline.
As of the 25 December 2022 deadline, 4,384 persons are reported to have died of the disease in the Dominican Republic, a nation of more than 10.8 million adults since March 2020. The 1M/death rate is at 395 compared to the 2,780.91 average for the Americas region. The fatality rate in the DR is at 0.68%. The fatality rate per 1M inhabitants is 419.58.
As per the 25 December 2022 deadline, the cases continue to again be concentrated in Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago. There were 2 lab-recorded cases – one in Santiago and another in Santo Domingo province.
The Ministry of Public Health says people in the Dominican Republic should take up again enhanced hygiene measures, mask wearing and social distancing to avoid falling ill the new Covid-19 variants, but more so with seasonal influenza and dengue, respiratory syncytial virus. The government has made available hundreds of thousands of free flu vaccines at regular vaccination stations nationwide.
26 December 2022