Francisco Durán García, the national director of Hygiene and Epidemiology, appeared on Cuban Television this Wednesday to discuss the alarming surge of dengue and the Oropouche virus across the country. He noted that dengue is now present in 13 provinces but has spread to 45 municipalities and 50 health areas.
Durán García highlighted a sharp rise in incidence rates, particularly in Santiago de Cuba, Havana, Guantánamo, and Camagüey, identifying these as the most severely affected provinces at the moment. The expert mentioned that there are "numerous hospitalized cases" of dengue in Cuba, with some patients in intensive care, though he did not provide specific figures.
He reiterated previous advice that individuals should seek medical attention at the first sign of symptoms, emphasizing that dengue can lead to serious complications. As for the Oropouche virus, transmission is occurring in all 15 provinces, affecting 109 municipalities and 197 health areas. While there is an increase in Oropouche cases, the complications are generally less severe, although Durán García reported some hospital admissions due to the virus.
He particularly urged pregnant women to protect themselves from mosquito bites because countries like Brazil have recorded "vertical transmission" from mother to fetus, resulting in fetal death or congenital malformations in some instances. Durán García acknowledged the high mosquito infestation levels in Cuba, attributing the situation to factors like heat, rain, and inadequate "sanitation," a euphemism for the significant garbage collection crisis plaguing Havana and other provinces.
Preventive Measures and Health Recommendations
Durán García encouraged Cubans to use "mosquito nets and repellents" to prevent bites from the mosquitoes responsible for both diseases. He stressed the importance of seeking immediate medical care if experiencing symptoms such as headaches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and high fevers, to ensure proper diagnosis due to the similar symptoms of both arboviruses.
Recently, Dr. Ileana Morales Suárez, director of Science and Technological Innovation at MINSAP, reported that since May, around 12,000 suspected cases of Oropouche have accumulated, some showing neurological complications and clinical manifestations not previously documented in medical literature.
Health authorities have emphasized the necessity of maintaining clean environments and eliminating mosquito breeding grounds as a crucial measure to curb these vectors' spread. However, the regime has admitted a lack of resources and fuel to support fumigation and control campaigns. Meanwhile, the Center of Immunoassay is working on developing a diagnostic kit for Oropouche, and the Finlay Institute is assessing the feasibility of creating a vaccine to prevent this disease.