CDC Reports Confirmed Cases of Cholera in the Dominican Republic

(Dive Travel Business News - December 7, 2010) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that since Nov. 16, 2010, officials in the Dominican Republic have reported several confirmed cases of cholera. The CDC said Dominican Republic authorities are taking preventive measures to prevent the spread of the disease. It also said the risk of cholera for travelers to the Dominican Republic is likely very low if appropriate precautions are taken.

At this time, CDC and the U.S. Department of State have not issued any travel warnings for the Dominican Republic. Most travelers are not at high risk for getting cholera, but people who are traveling to the Dominican Republic should exercise caution to avoid getting sick.

Cholera is most often spread through the ingestion of contaminated food or drinking water. Water may be contaminated by the feces of an infected person or by untreated sewage. Food is often contaminated by water containing cholera bacteria or being handled by a person ill with cholera. Nearby Haiti, also located on the island of Hispaniola, also has confirmed cases of cholera.

CDC recommends that all travelers prepare a travel health kit when going abroad. For those planning travel to the Dominican Republic, CDC advises packing the following supplies in a travel health kit to help prevent cholera and to treat it: prescription antibiotic to take in case of travelers’ diarrhea, water purification tablets, and oral rehydration salts. In the United States, these products can be purchased at stores that sell equipment for camping or other outdoor activities.

The CDC said travelers who follow usual tourist itineraries and who observe food safety recommendations while in countries reporting cholera have virtually no risk. All of the DR's eight international and six national airports are open and receiving commercial flights. All flights in and out of the DR are running smoothly. All of the DR's cruise terminals, seaports and marinas are open, operating effectively and receiving visitors. All of the DR’s beaches, hotels, resorts and tourism businesses are conducting normal business operations including major resort regions Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, La Romana, Samana and Santo Domingo. For more information on the Dominican Republic, visit the DR's travel site. 

For more information, visit the CDC.

** This RSS Feed is brought to you by www.DiveTravelBusinessNews.com **