SANTA DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - HEALTH officials in the Dominican Republic reported Friday (June 5) that a 17-year-old pregnant girl was the first official death in the Caribbean caused by the influenza A(H1N1) virus, also known as swine flu.
According to reports in the Latin American Herald Tribune, the young woman suffered from a number of other health problems that made her particularly vulnerable to the disease, including heart disease and “a history of tuberculosis”.
The girl first reported her illness to a hospital near her home in the southern province of Peravia, after which she was referred to La Altagracia Maternity Hospital in Santa Domingo. Shortly thereafter, the girl, who was seven months along in her pregnancy, passed away due to complications related to the disease.
The news of the death began a weekend of more cases being reported throughout the Caribbean, including the first two cases in Dominica.
Dominica Health Minister Hon. John Fabian said that his ministry had the situation under control and would “just have to be vigilant and ensure that we continue to do what we’re doing”.
Two additional cases in Jamaica and one in Trinidad were also reported over the weekend.
Currently, St. Kitts-Nevis is without a confirmed case of the disease, though Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Martin issued a statement on Saturday (June 6) saying that the disease reaching the Federation is “inevitable”.
“The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is an open economy with daily international and regional air and sea transport links. There is increased risk of entry of Influenza A H1N1 because this is the time of the year when nationals either return home for vacation or leave for vacation, and visitors arrive to attend festivals,” he stated.
Despite concerns about the disease reaching St. Kitts-Nevis, Martin informed the public that the personal health measures of being hygienic, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise continue to be the best forms of prevention.
“Strict attention must continue to be paid to personal hygiene such as ‘covering the cough and sneeze’, and hand-washing with soap and water.”
Furthermore, Martin stated that “there is no need for panic” and the local Ministry of Health continues to monitor all ports of entry, especially persons entering the country from areas known to have cases of A(H1N1).
“In general, the vast majority of cases of Influenza A H1N1 are mild to moderate,” Martin said, but added that if a person develops flu-like symptoms and difficulty breathing, he or she should seek immediate medical attention.
Dominican Republic News