2020 – Page 205

The Ministry of Public Health has confirmed that two children have died in the Dominican Republic as a result of Covid-19. These include a six-months old baby at the Arturo Grullon Children’s hospital in Santiago, and a two-year old girl at the Dario Contreras Trauma Hospital in Santo Domingo. At the Santiago hospital, 28 medical …

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Dr. Felix Antonio Cruz Jiminián was discharged from Plaza de la Salud, where he was treated for Covid-19 for 13 days. Dr. Cruz Jiminián is best known for his low-cost Cristo Rey hospital. Read more in Spanish:Diario Libre 6 April 2020

As of 3 April 2020, the National Police reported that 11 police that have been carrying out special duty during the Covid-19 pandemic have caught the disease. The highest-ranking is Colonel Jimmy Torres Dotel, who died of a heart attack while interned at the intensive care unit of the Police Hospital. He had tested positive. …

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The mayors are scheduled to be sworn into office on 24 April 2020, but this may not be so. The winners of the city governments for San Cristobal, Puerto Plata, San Francisco de Macoris and Vicente Noble all tested positive. Puerto Plata’s Roquelito García was among the first to be tested. He was immediately isolated. …

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Minister for the Presidency Gustavo Montalvo announced on Friday, 3 April 2020 that travel from the National District to the provinces during Holy Week is banned. Easter is the peak season for domestic travel. The measure means that travel will be banned the entire 24 hours of the day. Previously, travel was only restricted from …

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Public Health Minister Dr. Rafael Sánchez Cardenas announced on Friday, 3 April 2020 that Laboratorio Clínico Patria Rivas has been authorized to carry out lab tests for the Covid-19 coronavirus. The lab joins two other private labs, Amadita and Referencia, that already carry out the tests. The labs are obliged to report the findings to …

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An outrage at overpricing in government emergency procurement operations was the trending topic over the weekend. The spotlight was mainly on the RD$1.5 billion contract awarded to Tools Resources Enterprises Toreen SRL, a multi-operations company with a registered capital of RD$100,000. The company was awarded the bulk of all medical supply contracting under special conditions …

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The Senate is scheduled to meet on Monday, 6 April 2020, at 11am because the act establishing the current 25-day State of Emergency ends on 13 April. The state of emergency restricts transit in the Dominican Republic and enables the government to make emergency purchases without having to comply with usual procurement controls. Once approved, …

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The curfews and the forced closure of all “non-essential” businesses has been a major disaster for workers at all levels. An estimated half a million workers have lost their jobs over the past two weeks following the declaration of the state of emergency for Covid-19 on 20 March 2020. According to numbers published late last …

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After Hacienda Minister Donald Guerrero announced that the RD$1,500 food subsidy given to those with the Solidaridad card would be increased to RD$5,000 a month, thousands showed up at the Megacentro mall where the Solidaridad offices are located to get the card. Those with the card supposedly would receive the cash payments as part of …

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