There are 1,109 reported cases of Covid-19 in the Dominican Republic as of 6pm on 31 March 2020. Of these, 127 are hospitalized, 926 in home care, five have tested negative and sent home and 51 have died, for a 5% fatality rate. The Ministry of Public Health says that of 3,255 tests reported to the National Epidemiology Surveillance System (SINAVE), 2,146 were negative. Testing is still very limited in the country, with long waiting lists even in the cases of persons with apparent symptoms.
Bulletin 12 of the Ministry’s Epidemiology Directorate-General reports an increase of 208 cases, and 9 new deaths. Provinces where new cases are reported are: National District, Santo Domingo province, Duarte (San Francisco de Macorís), Espaillat (Moca), La Vega, María Trinidad Sánchez (Nagua), Puerto Plata, Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo), Samaná, San Cristóbal, Sánchez Ramírez (Cotuí), Santiago, Valverde, Monseñor Nouel (Bonao) and Hato Mayor.
By place of residence, most of the cases are in the National District (42%) and the province of Santo Domingo (13%) that make up Greater Santo Domingo, followed by Santiago (11%) and Duarte (8%).
The breakdown of cases in the National District and the 31 provinces in order of number of cases is:
National District: 462 cases, 81 new cases, 9 deaths, including 4 new deaths
Santo Domingo province: 145 cases, 39 new cases, 5 deaths
Santiago: 122 cases, 25 new cases, 2 deaths
Duarte (San Francisco de Macorís): 90 cases, 7 new cases, 22 deaths
La Vega: 65 cases, 17 new cases, 2 deaths, including one new death
La Altagracia (Higuey, Veron, Punta Cana): 29 cases
Puerto Plata: 28 cases, 12 new cases
Espaillat (Moca): 22 cases, 7 new cases
La Romana: 21 cases
Monseñor Nouel (Bonao): 19 cases, 8 new cases, 1 death
San Pedro de Macorís: 18 cases, 1 new case
San Cristóbal: 13 cases, 4 new cases
Samaná: 12 cases, 1 death, 3 new cases
Hermanas Mirabal: 11 cases, 1 new case
Sánchez Ramírez (Cotuí): 10 cases, 1 new cases, 2 deaths
María Trinidad Sánchez (Salcedo): 6 cases, 2 new cases, 1 death
San Juan de la Maguana: 5 cases, 2 deaths
Valverde: 4 cases, 2 new cases
Barahona: 3 cases
Hato Mayor: 3 cases, 1 new case
Monte Plata: 1 case
Azua: 7 cases, 1 new case
Independencia: 1 case
Pedernales: 1 case
Provinces with no reported cases of COVID-19:
Bahoruco, Dajabón, Elías Piña, El Seibo, and San José de Ocoa.
The first case of Covid-19 was detected on 1 March 2020, just two weeks before a municipal election was scheduled and after a month of intense carnival partying. On 20 March the government declared a State of Emergency until 3 April 2020. The country is under a curfew and land crossings, seaports and airports are closed through 13 April. That same day is the expiration on the order of suspension of all educational activities.
Dr. Jorge Marte, the physician on the High Commission for the Prevention of Coronavirus says that the country has not yet experienced the peak in cases, thus the special conditions and restriction measures are likely to be renewed.
31 May is the expiration date for the two-month assistance programs announced for Dominicans for food relief and welfare assistance.
The Ministry of Public Health continues to urge people stay at home, keep social distance, exercise maximum hygiene at the home and in vehicles, to not touch faces, and exercise self-isolation when having symptoms or having been in contact with persons who have tested positive or have symptoms. Supermarkets and banks are requiring that persons use facial masks to enter.
The Public Health Minister, Dr. Sánchez Cárdenas, has explained that people who present Covid-19 symptoms (fever, dry cough, shortness of breath) should contact their physician. He says in most cases these patients are stable and don’t need testing or treatment, and are recommended to stay at home until their fever resolves, they stop coughing, and are asymptomatic. Most importantly, he stresses these people need to self-isolate to not spread the disease to family and friends.
Follow the story in Spanish:
Bulletin No. 12 – SINAVE
Diario Libre
YouTube – press conference
Listin Diario
N Digital
El Dia
1 April 2020