Public Health Minister Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas, said in his 6 May coronavirus press briefing that the population random testing is being carried out using antibody rapid response tests so the country can have the data to have a better grasp of the penetration and evolution of the Covid-19 in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Sánchez Cárdenas said that the government will be intervening specific areas in the Greater Santo Domingo (the National District and Santo Domingo province), San Cristóbal and Monte Plata. The intervention was postponed due to the effects of the Duquesa smog. The minister said he favors that the governmental Banco de Reservas remain open for longer hours to reduce the long lines. Banks have been opening now from 9 to 2:30pm, when in the past these opened until late in the evening.
The minister warned that once the day comes to reduce restrictive measures, the same social distancing protocols would be maintained to avoid a rebound of the disease.
According to Coronavirus Bulletin #49 of the Public Health Ministry’s Department of Epidemiology, the Dominican Republic has 9,095 confirmed cases, 288 new confirmed cases and 373 deaths. There are 1,641 patients hospitalized, and 133 in intensive care units.
Bulletin #49 carries statistics up to Wednesday, 6 May 2020 at 6pm. The tally includes only the results from 36,959 PCR diagnostic tests. The results from rapid response blood antibody tests are not included in the statistical report, nor those diagnosed by tomography or other ways. The Dominican Republic has a population of more than 10 million people.
As of Wednesday, 6 May 2020 at 6pm, the most confirmed PCR cases continue to be reported in the National District and Santo Domingo Province (Greater Santo Domingo), Santiago, Duarte (San Francisco de Macorís), La Vega, San Cristóbal, Espaillat (Moca), Puerto Plata, Monseñor Nouel (Bonao) and La Romana and Sánchez Ramírez (Cotuí) and Hermanas Mirabal, all with 200 or more cases.
The largest increases in confirmed cases were reported for Santo Domingo province (65), National District (51), La Vega (41), Duarte (15), Santiago (19), Espaillat / Moca (14), San Cristóbal (37), La Romana (8), Azua (5), La Altagracia / Higuey, Verón and Punta Cana (5), Peravia (5), Sánchez Ramírez / Cotuí (4), Hermanas Mirabal (4), Puerto Plata (3), Monseñor Nouel / Bonao (2) and San José de Ocoa (2). In the other 14 provinces, 1 or no new cases are reported.
According to Bulletin #49, the evolution of the health crisis nationwide is:
National District: 2,190 cases, 51 new cases, 48 deaths
Santo Domingo province: 1,875 cases, 65 new cases, 60 deaths
Santiago: 1,019 cases, 19 new cases, 59 deaths, including 1 new death
Duarte (San Francisco de Macorís): 695 cases, 15 new cases, 77 deaths
La Vega: 648 cases, 41 new cases, 19 deaths
San Cristóbal: 364 cases, 37 new cases, 13 deaths, 2 new deaths
Espaillat (Moca, Gaspar Hernández): 326 cases, 14 new cases, 8 deaths
Puerto Plata: 264 cases, 3 new cases, 18 deaths
Monseñor Nouel (Bonao): 224 cases, 2 new cases, 4 deaths
La Romana: 216 cases, 8 new cases, 6 deaths
Sánchez Ramírez (Cotuí): 210 cases, 4 new cases, 6 deaths
Hermanas Mirabal / Salcedo: 208 cases, 4 new cases, 14 deaths, 1 new death
La Altagracia (Higuey, Verón, Punta Cana): 147 cases, 5 new cases, 1 death
María Trinidad Sánchez / Nagua: 107 cases, 2 new cases, 4 deaths
Azua: 92 cases, 5 new cases, 2 deaths
San Juan de la Maguana: 83 cases, 3 deaths
San Pedro de Macorís: 82 cases, 1 new case, 10 deaths, including 1 new death
Peravia: 68 cases, 5 new cases, 1 death
Valverde: 56 cases, 1 new cases, 4 deaths
Barahona: 45 cases, 1 death
Santiago Rodríguez: 39 cases, 1 new case, 1 death
Montecristi: 27 cases,
Samaná: 25 cases, 1 death
Monte Plata: 25 cases, 2 new case, 6 deaths
San José de Ocoa: 16 cases, 2 deaths
Hato Mayor: 13 cases, 2 deaths
El Seibo: 10 cases
Baoruco: 5 cases
Dajabón: 5 cases
Elías Piña: 5 cases
Pedernales: 4 cases
Independencia: 2 cases, 1 new case, 1 death, including 1 new death
Haiti reports 108 confirmed cases and 12 deaths as of 5 May 2020.
In the Americas, the Dominican Republic is ranked 8th in number of confirmed cases after the United States, Brazil, Canada, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and Chile.
See the epidemiological bulletins at:
John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center
Press conference Ministry of Public Health
7 May 2020