President Miguel Díaz-Canel described epidemic the rebound in cases of dengue, chikungunya and oropouche on the island and called to confront those arboviruses as was done against covid-19.
At a meeting of experts and scientists this Tuesday on health issues, Díaz-Canel ordered “to confront this epidemic as we dealt with Covid-19”with weekly meetings to monitor indicators and adjust measures, the newspaper says Granma.
This is the first time that the Cuban Government recognizes as an epidemic a situation that it officially names as “nonspecific febrile syndrome”because the three diseases cause high fevers, after a sharp increase in infections in the country that has put medical services under strain.
2025: the epidemic year
With 21,681 suspected cases of chikungunya in 14 provinces and 93 municipalities, and 38 municipalities with active dengue —including all of Havana—, Dr. José Raúl de Armas Fernández considers that 2025 is “the epidemic year.”
| “We are going to work on this epidemic as we worked on COVID-19,” said the President. @DiazCanelBin a meeting with experts and scientists. He called weekly meetings to, from science, provide analysis and proposals for solutions.
| https://t.co/UvPq986K2d pic.twitter.com/Kvtxg97mFe
— Presidency Cuba (@PresidenciaCuba) November 12, 2025
In the report released by Granma No numbers of dengue and oropouche cases were indicated. The latest official data, from three weeks ago, spoke of some 2,360 people affected by dengue, mainly the variant that is most dangerous to health.
In mid-October, Cuban authorities They announced that three people had died in Cuba due to serious complications of dengue, confirmed through obituary studies of the bodies and the previous diagnosis of the patients. However, the dates of the deaths, the profile of the dead or in which territories they resided were not detailed.
At that time, in statements for state television, the Cuban Vice Minister of Public Health, Carilda Peña, assured that these viruses represent a “national” problem because the mosquito infestation rates are “very high” and the situation due to the lack of fuel in the country is “very complex” to be able to carry out the necessary fumigations.
And the mosquitoes?
In vector control, Dr. Madelaine Rivera Sánchez admitted in yesterday’s meeting that lFumigation does not cover the entire territory as in previous outbreaksbut resources are concentrated in complex areas.
“We are trying to cover all the urban areas where we can reach; not only where we have evidence, but also where people tell us that there are cases,” he said.
In this context, he announced that new equipment will arrive in “critical” municipalities. “The risk perception of all of us is very important, and always support, so that vector control actions can be carried out.”
The strong rebound in these diseases in Cuba occurs in the midst of a severe economic crisiswhich is reflected in the daily and prolonged power outages, irregularities in the water supply, scarce public transportation and the partial dollarization of the economy.
This situation directly affects the spread of mosquitoes that transmit diseases, because due to lack of fuel – the State does not have foreign currency to import it – fumigations have been reduced and garbage, which accumulates in the streets throughout the country, is not collected frequently.
The real numbers of the epidemic are difficult to estimate because many Cuban medical centers do not have the tests to confirm the specific disease, and a large part of Cubans do not go to hospitals due to the deterioration of health services and the lack of medicines.
OnCuba/EFE.
