Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic: Power Blackouts Testing Citizens’ Patience

Date: August 27th, 2008 |

Daily blackouts lasting as long as 18 hours have put the nation on edge as nerves are fraying across the country. The government claims power output is operating at 85 percent of capacity but the locals don’t believe it. Businesses without their own generators are running into serious problems, and those with generators are also [read more]

Dominican Republic: Criminals’ Tactics in Santo Domingo

Date: June 11th, 2008 |

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According to the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, one of the best ways to avoid serious losses to thieves is to carry 100 pesos (about $3) in your right front pocket to hand over if confronted. Most thieves want to make a quick escape and 100 pesos is sometimes enough to satisfy them. The Embassy [read more]

Mexico: Dengue Fever Cases Up around Country

Date: April 4th, 2007 |

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Dengue fever is surging in Mexico and other areas of Latin America. Dengue cases in Mexico have increased more than 600 percent since 2001, with the deadly form of dengue hemorrhagic fever increasing dramatically. It now accounts for one in every four cases compared to one in every fifty cases seven years ago. Officials have [read more]

Dominican Republic

Date: March 22nd, 2005 |

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Police expect civil unrest in the northern city of San Francisco De Marcoris where groups are protesting the government�s failure to repair the road between San Francisco De Marcoris and Tenares, which was damaged by hurricanes last year, and other groups are protesting recent power outages. In the tourist town of Rio San Juan, some [read more]

Dominican Republic

Date: August 10th, 2004 |

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Fuel shortages may cause the collapse of the public transport system at the same time that the country is suffering its worst economic crisis in recent history. The island nation is also experiencing regular blackouts from an energy shortage, with power plants producing less than half the power needed for regular service. Students rioted to [read more]

Dominican Republic: Credit Card Fraud Up

Date: July 2nd, 2008 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo reported a surge of thefts of credit and debit card numbers from Embassy staff and the expatriate community, but no single location of card usage has been tied to the thefts. The U.S. Secret Service is investigating, and until more information is found about how the thefts are occurring, [read more]

Dominican Republic: Contaminated Water in Santo Domingo

Date: December 6th, 2007 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo reported that following tropical storm Noel and recent heavy rains, the water supply of Santo Domingo became contaminated and should not be drunk or used for cooking or brushing teeth. Visitors should use bottled water that has not been exposed to floodwaters, should boil all tap water or disinfect [read more]

Dominican Republic and Jamaica: Malaria Updates

Date: February 1st, 2007 |

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Canadian health officials are urging Canadians traveling to the Dominican Republic to take precautions against malaria following three recent cases of the disease in returning travelers. The cases occurred in visitors to resorts in the province of La Altagracia. The best protection is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, but Canada’s public health agency recommends [read more]

Dominican Republic

Date: January 11th, 2005 |

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Seventeen cases of malaria have been diagnosed in tourists from the U.S., Canada and Europe. The cases were reported in November and December and may be linked to Hurricane Jeanne that hit the Dominican Republic in September. The tourists had visited La Altagracia and Duarte provinces, areas considered malaria-free, but the hurricane swept over [read more]

Dominican Republic

Date: February 3rd, 2004 |

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A two-day general strike Jan. 28-29 shut down commerce and produced violent clashes between protesters and police, leaving five people dead. These incidents followed similar disturbances in November when six people were killed. The strikes received the support of unions, political parties and other groups from around the country and were staged to protest the [read more]