The suspension of the BNC comes after other internal readjustments that had already been implemented for last Friday’s function.
LIMA, Peru – In the midst of the existing epidemiological crisis on the Island, the National Ballet of Cuba (BNC) announced the immediate suspension of its performances scheduled for this Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 9 due to the illness of several members of its company.
A report from the official media Cubadebate reports that the cultural institution was forced to cancel the presentations “despite the efforts made to maintain its programming.”
The suspension of BNC functions this weekend comes after other internal readjustments that had already been implemented for the function on Friday the 7th in an attempt to overcome the initial absences.
“Today we are forced to take this measure due to the unforeseen illness of other of our artists, for which we offer our apologies to the public,” the BNC highlighted in an official statement.
The cultural institution did not detail the identity of the affected members, nor did it offer details about which of the viruses circulating on the Island have affected its members or the health status of the sick.
Fearing the effects of the announced measure, the BNC established a specific calendar to manage the return of the value of the tickets. Tickets can be refunded at the theater box office, this Saturday the 8th until 7:00 pm, tomorrow, Sunday the 9th, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm, and from Monday the 10th to Wednesday the 12th, from 1:00 to 7:00 pm.
The suspensions of the National Ballet of Cuba come in the midst of a national context of health crisis, marked by an epidemic of arboviruses caused by vectors such as the mosquito and that has already caused several deaths on the Island.
Epidemiological crisis in Cuba
The Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) recognized that the country has treated 20,062 cases of chikungunya, a figure that shows the sustained expansion of this disease transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The information was offered by the Vice Minister of Health, Carilda Peña García, in her regular space on the Caribbean Channel.
According to official data, the most affected provinces are Havana, Matanzas, Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Artemisa and Villa Clara. In addition, 62% of mosquito outbreaks are concentrated in Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey and Villa Clara.
The MINSAP announced the deployment of intensive fumigations and the active search for people with fever through Medical Sciences students. He also reported that clinical trials will begin in the province of Matanzas with the drug Jusvinza to treat persistent joint sequelae in patients with chikungunya.
However, the opinions and claims of the population contrast with the institutional discourse. In cities such as Santiago de Cuba and Havana, residents have reported that fumigation is not carried out systematically, and in some neighborhoods it has become a service that is only provided through informal payments, despite being a state obligation.
Likewise, residents report shortages of basic medications, long lines at polyclinics and hospitals, and entire families affected at the same time by severe fever symptoms.
