The National Commission on Dengue met yesterday Wednesday, 10 November 2015 and announced a new campaign aimed at preventing the arrival and spread of Zika virus in the country.
The meeting was chaired by the Public Health Minister, Dr. Altagracia Guzman Marcelino, who said that the emphasis would be on preventive mechanisms to control the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is the vector for the dengue, chikungunya and zika diseases.
The commission coordinates the work to contain dengue, a pressing concern. The government says there have been 78 deaths this year due to dengue out of more than 11,359 suspected cases.
The minister called on the public to eliminate potential breeding areas for mosquitoes in and around their homes, pointing out that this was the only way to put a halt to the outbreak of dengue and start of zika throughout the country.
Representatives of the CAASD, the National Institute of Water and Sewers (INAPA), the National Health Service, the Dominican Pediatric Society and other organizations attended the meeting.
The president of the Dominican Society of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Talia Flores said during the meeting that the Zika is a virus related to the Flaviviridae, for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment. It is handled in a manner similar to dengue with analgesics to control the fever and drinking plenty of fluids. One of the principal symptoms is a skin rash. No deaths have been reported from this virus.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2015/11/12/395892/salud-define-estrategias-contra-el-dengue-chikungunya-y-zika