The doctor Héctor Balcácer, vice president of the Dominican Society of Infectology, warns of an imminent increase in rain-related diseases in the country. The intense rainfall of the past few weeks has created ideal conditions for the proliferation of vectors and contaminants, according to his analysis.
Risks of Infectious Diseases due to rain-related diseases
Among the main threats are dengue, malaria, leptospirosis, Zika and chikungunya, transmitted by mosquitoes that reproduce in stagnant water. Balcácer emphasizes that the alternation of rainy and sunny days accelerates this process. In addition, respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal infections are expected due to contaminated water consumption and increased humidity.
- Dengue and malaria: Mosquitoes Aedes in domestic breeding sites.
- Leptospirosis: Bacteria from rat urine in floods.
- Infections in skin and respiratory tracts by fungi and viruses.
HPV and chlamydia lead STIs in the midst of the crisis
Meanwhile, HPV (human papillomavirus) and chlamydia are positioned as the most frequent sexually transmitted infections in the Dominican Republic. Balcácer highlights that these STIs persist as a structural problem, exacerbated by seasonal factors. Data from the Ministry of Public Health indicate that HPV affects thousands annually, with risks of cervical cancer, while chlamydia goes unnoticed in many cases due to its mild symptoms.
Historical context and expert opinions on rain-related diseases
Experts such as Dr. Genera Santana, head of Infectology at the Arturo Grullón Hospital in Santiago, agree: the rains of the north favor diarrheal diseases and vectors. Pediatrician Clemente Terrero, from the Robert Reid Cabral Hospital, adds that food and drinking water contamination generates intestinal outbreaks, and humidity promotes fungi like athlete’s foot.
Historically, the Dominican Republic has recorded peaks of dengue post-rainy seasons; in 2023, they exceeded 20,000 confirmed cases according to official reports. Leptospirosis, endemic in flood-prone areas, causes renal failures in severe cases.
The rains contaminate water sources and create breeding sites, multiplying vectors on subsequent sunny days. – Héctor Balcácer
Recommended preventive measures
Authorities call for eliminating breeding sites, using repellents, and boiling water. Vaccines against dengue and HPV are available at health centers. Epidemiological surveillance is intensified in the face of this increase in rain-related diseases.
In the Dominican Republic, the panorama of rain-related diseases requires immediate action to mitigate impacts on vulnerable populations.
