The numbers associated with COVID-19 in Cuba have shown its decreasing behavior for about two months. This Saturday several indicators showed their best figures since the last peak of the epidemic in the country happened.
It is a reality that confirmed the information offered during the day by the Minister of Public Health, José Angel Portal Miranda, at the meeting of the temporary working group for the prevention and control of the new coronavirus, which as usual was headed by the First Secretary from the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez; the Vice President of the Republic, Salvador Valdés Mesa; and the Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, all members of the Political Bureau.
The 550 positive cases reported this Saturday represent 9.2% less than at the end of the previous day. On September 20, the accelerated decline in the number of people who were admitted for being infected with the virus began in the country: 40,984 patients were then in that situation, and this November 6 the figure was 2,767.
Let us remember that last August – the time when the highest confirmed numbers of the entire epidemic were reached – for several days the patients in intensive care units exceeded 300: this Saturday only 73 required these services.
On the way to the decline, the number of daily deaths as a result of SARS-CoV-2 continues: on August 3 and 14, Cuba mourned the death of 98 people in each of them, and this Saturday there were four.
With the diagnosis of 12,373 positive cases in the last 15 days, the trend in all provinces is to decrease the incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants. Above the national average —which is 110.6— there were only Sancti Spíritus, Camagüey, Pinar del Río, Las Tunas, Holguín and Villa Clara; the rest were below 87.
The objectivity of the figures unquestionably encourages and speaks of how much work has been done throughout the national territory to contain the disease. However, Cuba does not trust itself and the scenario of each of the territories is addressed in a timely manner: despite the behavior under control, in some places the alerts persist.
In Sancti Spíritus, for example, this Saturday 84 new infections were reported, distributed in all its municipalities, the most affected being Yaguajay and Cabaiguán. 1,771 patients have been confirmed there in the last 15 days.
On the other hand, in the days that have elapsed in November, the province of Camagüey is one that has been reporting the highest numbers of new infections.
With the exception of last day 1 – the date on which 87 patients were reported there – the rest of the days the numbers exceeded 100 cases, a behavior that continued as a trend also in October. In the last 15 days in that territory 2,221 patients were confirmed, the highest numbers in the entire country in that period.
RISING FIGURES FOR LIFE
And in the midst of the current context – which continues to be complex, let no one doubt it – the efforts of health workers and our scientists contribute to other figures increasing: this Saturday in Cuba 944 413 patients had been recovered, which means the 98.8% of those who have fallen ill in the course of these almost 20 months of confrontation with COVID-19.
According to data offered by the Minister of Public Health at the meeting, as of November 4, 7,458,669 Cubans – 76.2% of the population possible to be vaccinated – had already completed their vaccination schedule.
In a special way, it meant that that day in the country the figure of 10 million Cubans who had started their vaccination scheme was exceeded.
He also stressed that in the next few days these figures should be increased even more since 1.6 million children who are currently in the process of receiving the third dose will be added to them, and more than 45 thousand convalescent adults who received their medical discharge in August. At the same time, he added, progress is being made in the vaccination of those allergic to Thimerosal.
Statistics from the Ministry of Public Health released by Portal Miranda at the meeting show that currently 1,168,431 Cubans cannot be vaccinated. Among them he pointed to the more than 220 thousand children under two years of age; and the nearly 200,000 convalescent adults, who have not yet been immunized.
Likewise, he explained that there are about 172,600 convalescent children who, until the clinical trial with Soberana Plus for this population group is concluded, cannot start their vaccination; this process is expected to take place before the end of November.
Taking this scenario into account, the Minister stressed that by the end of this month 90% of the Cuban population should be vaccinated.
Our purpose – he asserted – is to reach every Cuban who can be vaccinated and in this sense we continue working in each of the territories to be able to comply with the designed vaccination program.
The Ministry of Public Health, explained Portal Miranda, is currently conducting a tour throughout the country to assess compliance with the plan and measures in each place in a particular way, since the process does not behave in the same way in all territories. .
Among the measures that have been planned to increase the number of vaccinated people in Cuba, he commented on the actions carried out to administer doses that some people have pending for certain reasons; follow up on patients with chronic diseases so that, once they have been compensated for their ailments, administer the vaccine at the appropriate time; and conclude the vaccination of those who are allergic to Thimerosal.
He also announced that other treatment alternatives such as Biomodulin T and Transfer Factor will be used in patients who for medical reasons cannot be vaccinated.
