Visitors to countries rated as 1 should "exercise normal precautions" while Americans are urged not to travel to countries rated as 4.In a press release Wednesday, the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic offered condolences to those affected by the recent incidents.The Dominican Republic has been in headlines recently for all the wrong reasons.The Maryland couple who died, Holmes and Day, each had internal bleeding, preliminary autopsy results showed, according to CNN. She reminded the public that there are four main risk factors associated with cancers and other non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) which are unhealthy eating patterns or habits, alcohol use, tobacco and physical inactivity.“So, for the past six/seven years, we had a total of six hundred and ninety-seven persons dying from cancer,” she added.Health Educator Mignon Rolle -Shillingford is urging lifestyle changes among the population to help reduce the number of cancer-related deaths on the island.“In 2011 we had one hundred and thirty three deaths, in 2012 a hundred and ten, in 2013 one hundred and twenty eight, in 2014 a hundred and six, in 2015 one hundred and thirty two and in 2016 eighty-eight,” Mrs. Shillingford informed.During that same period, she added, eight-four (84) females were diagnosed with cervical cancer and one hundred and two (102) males were diagnosed with prostate cancer.She informed that between 2010 and 2017 “we had a hundred and eighty-five persons being diagnosed with breast cancer” and that this “is the cancer that kills most of our females”.She revealed that six hundred and ninety-seven (697) persons died from cancer-related deaths for the period 2011 to 2016.Shillingford noted that with a small population “and even so much so we had a decrease in the number of persons living here now because of [Hurricane] Maria that is significant”.Shillingford, who was speaking during the launch of the annual ‘Walk for Cancer Care’ on Wednesday 13 August 2018, informed that breast and prostate cancer are the leading diagnosis among males and females.“So if we eat better, remain physically active, decrease our alcohol use, and tobacco use we will be a healthier nation,” Shillingford said.“Of course we know some cancers may come across even if you have done all that, but one of the key things is early intervention. This is a public service from the staff of The Dominican.net. So I would like to get some real answers.”“I think it would be way too premature to make any meaningful conclusions from the numbers of deaths in travellers from any of these locations right now, this early on in the year,” says Bogoch.Get a roundup of the most important and intriguing stories, delivered to your inboxBut amid heightened tensions, Global Affairs is refusing to confirm whether it is probing specific cases of Canadian deaths. THE sudden and unexpected deaths of tourists staying at resorts in the Dominican Republic has led to speculation over their mysterious deaths. Dominica news source of local and caribbean news. Here's everything we know -- and don't know -- about their deaths. Data obtained by Global News … “Vomitting and diarrhea at the same time barely being able to walk to the bathroom. In Cuba, that number is 52.And that’s exactly what happened with Canadian Allan Smith, who spent a week in Punta Cana with his family back in 2012. The tourists varied in age, residence and medical conditions, yet all have died under seemingly similar conditions. One hotel is disputing the timeline of an alleged attack of a Delaware woman that also made news that week.And in May, a Delaware woman said in a Facebook post that she was beaten and left for dead in January, writing that a man in a uniform bearing the logo of her Punta Cana hotel, the Majestic Elegance Resort, attacked her, assaulting her badly enough to warrant a five-day hospital stay.At least seven Americans have died this year in the Dominican Republic, with questions being raised about what is going on.The Dominican Republic has held a 2 rating since the Travel Advisory system went into effect in 2018.WABC also reported an autopsy will be performed.Allen's sister, Jamie Reed, told WABC-TV that his body was discovered the morning of June 13 in his hotel room at Terra Linda Resort in Sosua, located on the Caribbean country's northern coast. The most popular sun destination is Mexico, followed by Cuba.Data obtained by Global News from Global Affairs shows an average of 39 Canadians died each year in the Dominican Republic over the past decade.