Dominican Republic fights spread of dengue as deaths, infections surge

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Domincan Republic fights surge in dengue

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Thousands of health workers and soldiers will destroy mosquito breeding areas across the country this weekend, worried dengue cases are on track to nearly doubled from last year, officials said Friday.

At least 27 deaths have been reported, and health officials say more than 5,000 people have been diagnosed so far in 2010 with the virus that causes fever, headaches and extreme joint and muscle pain.

More than 100,000 officials will go house by house to explain how to prevent dengue and remove any objects that could serve as breeding grounds, Health Minister Bautista Rojas said.

Nurses at a children’s hospital in Santiago, which has one of the highest dengue incidences this year, demanded that the government provide more resources and personnel. Four children have died this week in Santiago, located northwest of the capital of Santo Domingo.

“We cannot build another hospital, but we can avoid an epidemic,” Rojas said in response to their demands. He said he was concerned the number of cases could increase during the rainy months of August and September.

Senen Caba, president of the Dominican Medical Association, disputed Rojas’ numbers and said doctors have reported more than 7,000 cases.

Last year, 11 deaths and more than 3,000 cases were reported through June.

Officials in nearby Puerto Rico plan to fumigate the island next week and warned of a dengue outbreak that could rival that of 1998, when 17,000 people became sick and 19 died in the U.S. Caribbean territory.