An elderly man passed away on Monday in the streets of Santiago de Cuba under unknown circumstances. The man, apparently a homeless individual known as "Chepio," died on San Bartolomé Street between Santa Isabel and Martí, near Paseo Martí, as reported on Facebook by journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada.
According to local residents, the man had sold his house and often sat on the benches of Avenida Martí. "He spent his money on women and had other health issues," noted one of the local sources.
Photos posted by Mayeta Labrada show the body covered by a white sack from the trunk of a patrol car, the first authority to arrive at the scene. "We hope the authorities in Santiago de Cuba do not delay in removing the body from the public street," he added.
However, three hours later in another post, the journalist called out Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the first secretary of the Communist Party in the province, noting that the body was still lying in the street with no appearance by the medical examiner. "I call on the indifferent, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, Manuel Falcón Hernández, Provincial Governor; Provincial Health Directorate of Santiago de Cuba, and every institution that should be aware of this unfortunate event. People die at home, and you take 24 hours or more to pick them up; many die in the streets and are left like dogs," the journalist lamented.
Mayeta also pointed to other recent grim incidents, such as coffins falling in the streets while transporting bodies in the province's few available vehicles. "Funeral homes and cemeteries are overwhelmed, and you claim nothing is happening," the journalist, based in Washington but closely monitoring events in his birthplace through a vast social media network, concluded indignantly.
As of this article's publication, no further details have emerged regarding the circumstances of this man's death, adding to a growing list of fatalities in the eastern province amid a complex epidemiological situation. Official sources confirmed last Wednesday the circulation of four viruses: dengue, influenza, oropouche, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19.
Aris Batalla, a representative of the Red Cross in Santiago de Cuba, warned on Facebook that these viruses pose a significant risk to the population, urging them to take extreme preventive measures amidst a severe shortage of medications like analgesics and antipyretics.
Meanwhile, the national director of Epidemiology at the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), Francisco Durán, acknowledged that the country lacks fuel for mosquito fumigation amid the rising presence of the Oropouche virus in Cuba.
Amid this backdrop, it was revealed that the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital in Santiago de Cuba is overwhelmed, lacking beds and resources to handle the increasing influx of patients.
In another recent tragic event in Santiago de Cuba, a 17-year-old adolescent hospitalized without a clear diagnosis passed away.
Public Health Crisis in Santiago de Cuba
Given the current public health crisis in Santiago de Cuba, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers to provide more clarity on the situation.
What are the viruses currently circulating in Santiago de Cuba?
The viruses currently circulating in Santiago de Cuba are dengue, influenza, oropouche, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.
What is the state of the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital?
The Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital is currently overwhelmed, with no available beds or resources to handle the increasing number of patients.
What measures should the population take to protect themselves?
The population should take extreme preventive measures, such as maintaining personal hygiene, using mosquito repellents, and avoiding crowded places, especially given the severe shortage of medications like analgesics and antipyretics.