The Ministry of Public Health of Cuba (Minsap) confirmed this Friday three new deaths due to the epidemic of dengue and chikungunya, bringing the total recorded to date to 47.
The Vice Minister of Public Health, Carilda Peña, he assured on television that “the majority are under 18 years old,” and especially insisted on caring for infants. Of the three new deaths, one was from dengue and two from chikungunya.
Peña also indicated that the day before, 3,275 cases of nonspecific febrile syndrome, the first common symptom of both arboviruses, were registered, and 1,417 of chikungunya were confirmed, for a total of 44,604 infections of this disease.
The Minsap does not offer the exact numbers of dengue cases in its daily updates, but the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which uses official Cuban figures, indicated on Monday that, from the beginning of the year until the end of November, the number of infections due to this disease amounted to 25,995.
Peña added that 53 people remain in intensive care for dengue or chikungunya, two less than the previous day.
The health authorities have reiterated that the numbers of infected people are underreported, because many patients do not go to medical centers, mainly due to the deterioration of public services on the island.
The Cuban Government recognized for the first time on November 12 that the country was suffering from a chikungunya and dengue epidemic, despite the fact that the first cases were diagnosed in July and that infections had skyrocketed in September and October.
Incidence rate doubled in one week
On Wednesday, the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) warned that, in the current epidemic, registered dengue cases have increased by more than 71% in just seven days.
Peña assured on television that the incidence rate of dengue cases was 6.52 per 100 thousand inhabitants, compared to 3.81 on Wednesday of last week.
The incidence rate of dengue in Cuba has almost doubled in a week
These data imply, if the 9.7 million inhabitants of the island are taken as a reference, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), that the daily cases detected went from 369 to 632 in seven days, an increase of more than 71%.
The epidemic has found fertile ground in Cuba due to the serious economic crisis, which limits the prevention capacity, mainly through massive fumigation against mosquitoes, control – with tests to confirm the type of disease – and care for the sick, due to lack of medicines and other health supplies.
EFE/OnCuba.
