Meanwhile, complaints about lack of fumigation and medicines are growing. As well as opinions that the outlook is even worse.
MADRID, Spain.- 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.
In eastern areas, the situation is worsened by the effects of recent Hurricane Melissa, which caused accumulation of debris and stagnant water, conditions that favor mosquito reproduction.
The MINSAP says that it maintains “contingency” actions, but does not detail figures on the actual coverage of vector control or the availability of resources.
Another inconsistency pointed out by observers is the absence of precise epidemiological data, such as the start date of counting reported cases or the number of laboratory-confirmed diagnoses, which limits the assessment of the true scope of the outbreak.
While the Government affirms that the situation is “under control”, citizen complaints describe a scenario of health vulnerability, in a country with deteriorated hospital infrastructure, lack of supplies and structural difficulties for the control of Aedes aegypti.
The chikungunya outbreak also occurs in a context where other arboviruses, such as dengue, continue to circulate, which increases pressure on a health system in crisis.
