MIAMI, United States. – The Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) confirmed that on the Island there are hospitalized patients in serious and critical condition due to dengue, some of whom are in intensive care.
Francisco Durán García, national director of Hygiene and Epidemiology of MINSAP, warned about the complicated epidemiological situation in the country, which is affected not only by dengue, but also by Oropouche fever.
The official reported that dengue is present in 14 provinces and 46 municipalities in the country. “Serotypes 2, 3 and 4 of the dengue virus circulate in Cuba,” he said. He also highlighted the increase in positive cases in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Havana and pointed out that the transmission of the disease has not shown improvement since the summer.
Oropouche fever, which is transmitted through mosquitoes and gnats, has also increased its incidence in the 15 provinces of the country and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud. “The most affected territories are Santiago de Cuba, Havana and Pinar del Río,” said Durán. According to their report, there are confirmed cases of the disease in 101 municipalities and 201 health areas.
Despite measures to reduce the presence of mosquitoes, such as fumigations and vector control campaigns, the problem is aggravated by poor hygiene conditions in Cuban cities. Landfills and wastewater are a constant presence on the streets, which further complicates the control of these diseases.
On September 19, the health authorities of Sancti Spíritus they alerted about an increase in pediatric patients with the dengue virus.
Specialists from the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology of that province revealed that in the previous two weeks, serious cases diagnosed with dengue in that age range had increased.
“There are children who have come to hospital care with signs of alarm“, say high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal pain or bleeding at the level of the gums, reasons why they have required intensive care,” reported the local newspaper. Escambray.
Despite the seriousness of the epidemiological situation on the Island, the directors of the health system indicated that there are “countless cases” of people who have been in bed for up to six days with very high fevers and have not gone to the doctor.
“Not a few have reached the brink of death and others suffer significant consequences,” they said, without alluding to the shortage of drugs and the terrible conditions in hospitals, reasons why patients prefer to remain at home.
