Secretary of State for Public Health and Social Welfare Bautista Rojas gomez of Dominican Republic

Cool, have been confiscated by authorities in the Caribbean country since late last week, Dominican Health Secretary Bautista Rojas Gomez said on Tuesday.

The Dominican Republic's Secretary of State for Public Health Bautista Rojas Gomez said on Wednesday that at least 17 people have died of hemorrhagic dengue fever so far this year, according to reports from Santo Domingo.

But Rojas Gomez said cases had now been confirmed as far away as the Barahona beach resort on the southern coast.

In addition to the 25 deaths, Rojas Gomez said 193 people had fallen ill with the disease.

Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez says that any salary wage awarded to doctors will only happen once the government's contractual structure with the doctors is reviewed.

Dengue Fever has killed 17 people this year in the Dominican Republic, Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez said in a statement, published by local media on Sunday, rejecting reports by English newspaper The Sunday Times.

Public Health Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez has said that his ministry will invest RD$431.

Nearly 90,000 units of the toothpaste, imported from Panama and sold under the brand names Excel and Mr Cool, have been confiscated by authorities in the Caribbean country since late last week, Dominican Health Secretary Bautista Rojas Gomez said on Tuesday.

Bautista Rojas Gomez said dozens of people remain in hospitals with symptoms related to leptospirosis, which spreads through exposure to water contaminated with the urine of infected animals.