In contrast, the health emergency on the Island in recent weeks has been related to the proliferation of arboviruses.
LIMA, Peru – Health authorities of the Cuban regime inaugurated several laboratories on the island this weekend aimed at strengthening diagnostic capabilities in the country.
Although the serious epidemiological crisis that Cuba is going through suggests that these are laboratories for diagnosing circulating arboviruses, the truth is that the new spaces are aimed at detecting contaminants in food, water, air and other environmental samples.
The Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) and diplomatic representatives of the European Union and France celebrated the inauguration of the laboratories at the National Institute of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology (INHEM).
A report of the Cuban News Agency points out that the project seeks to strengthen the Abelardo Bush López Institute of Nephrology, the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) and INHEM itself, as well as its subsidiaries throughout the country.
The national director of Epidemiology, Francisco Durán García, participated in the opening ceremony on behalf of MINSAP: On the international side, Jens Urban, ambassador of the European Union, attended; Raphaël Trannoy, ambassador of France; and Dr. Adolfo Álvarez Pérez, deputy director of INHEM, along with other national and international officials.
Beyond the technological equipment for the detection of contaminants, the new laboratories also received systems for the rapid diagnosis of foodborne pathogenic bacteria.
“The actions developed will contribute to the protection of the environment and the study of the effects of climate change, through research on contaminants in various ecosystems, as well as the prevention of diseases of chemical and microbiological origin,” highlights the state-run Cubadebate.
In contrast, the main health emergency on the Island in recent weeks has been related to the proliferation of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Due to the lack of diagnostic methods, thousands of Cubans have been forced to isolate themselves in their homes without even knowing which of all the viruses makes them sick.
This last Friday, the MINSAP reported an unprecedented spike in serious and critical cases of chikungunya in minors, with 79 children and adolescents in intensive care rooms throughout the country, a figure that exceeds previous reports.
Francisco Durán García accurate that there are currently 95 patients in intensive care, including 77 seriously ill, of which 63 are under 18 years of age, and 18 critical, “of which 16 are under 16 years of age.”
Durán described this pediatric situation as especially worrying: “Be very careful with children, with young people, who are more susceptible.”
The epidemiologist confirmed that the circulation of the virus continues to expand throughout practically the entire national territory. “Chikungunya has been diagnosed and has been seen to be circulating in 14 provinces… a total of 31,513 suspected cases of the disease have already accumulated… in 14 provinces, 99 municipalities and 164 health areas,” he detailed.
In the last day, 753 people went to health services with suspected chikungunya.
