SANTO DOMINGO — With its first case of coronavirus, a visitor who is now receiving medical care and is in stable condition, the D.R. has implemented new measures to contain the spread of the illness.

The D.R. Ministry of Tourism says the prevention and contingency plan was drawn up in conjunction with the authorities of the Ministry of Public Health, together with the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) and the authorities of ports, airports and land border crossings.

The measures include …

. Tour operators should recommend that travellers with symptoms of respiratory illnesses – before, during or after the trip – seek medical attention and share travel history with their doctor.

. Travellers with symptoms of respiratory disease should be evaluated by the Ministry of Health staff at the port, applying the established protocol.

. Shipping agencies that organize cruise ships, and tour operators, should disseminate messages about the precautions that travellers leaving or entering the country should have.

. Shipping agencies must also send the Maritime Declaration of Health to the Competent Health Authority (ASC) of the Ministry of Public Health at the Point of Entry and the General Directorate of Epidemiology.

. A reinforcement of the sanitary review of aircraft and ships.
. Airlines must send the passenger location list and public health cards to locate visitors to the General Directorate of Epidemiology.

. The Ministry of Public Health has decided to suspend direct flights from Milan for 30 days as a preventive measure.

. D.R. migration authorities are asking travellers from Italy if they have any symptoms of flu, such as fever, cough, sneezing, sore throat, runny nose or other.

Also, in agreement with the embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the D.R., airlines will report the entry into Dominican territory of passengers coming from China who have had a cough and / or fever during the flight while surveillance of the new coronavirus is in effect. The D.R. says this measure also extends to hotels.

The tourism board adds that the Ministry of Health of the Dominican Republic “has urged the population to remain calm and avoid exaggerated reactions,” given that more than 80% of cases of the virus present as mild flu symptoms, and patients recover.

“For MITUR, the well-being and safety of visitors continue to be a priority, so it will continue to work in coordination with the other relevant authorities to continue strengthening the country’s preventive measures against the expansion of the new coronavirus.”