Dr. Francisco Durán García, national director of Epidemiology at the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), admitted in statements to both television and the Granma newspaper that the incidence rates of suspected cases of both dengue and Oropouche virus are on the rise.
The Cuban government claims to have intensified epidemiological surveillance throughout the country, but the reality is that the health situation continues to worsen.
"It is almost endemic now," says Durán García about dengue. According to the latest update, there are cases of dengue in 48 health areas across 41 municipalities in 12 provinces of the country.
Given this reality, the doctor insisted that anyone with symptoms such as headaches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever should see a doctor immediately, as the symptoms of dengue and oropouche are similar, but dengue can progress to severe clinical cases that endanger patients' lives.
In the case of the Oropouche virus, the disease -transmitted by the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus and the midge Culicoides- is currently present in 174 health areas across 99 municipalities, which also represents an increase compared to the previous week.
The provinces most affected by Oropouche are Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Havana, Sancti Spíritus, and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud.
While the regime talks about "strict surveillance," the living conditions on the island, the lack of medical supplies, and the terrible hygiene conditions continue to be a breeding ground for the proliferation of mosquito-borne diseases.
The call to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and to improve sanitation seems insufficient in a country where the lack of drinking water, poor waste management, and scarcity of hygiene products complicate any prevention efforts.
This is coupled with the lack of transparent information about the true extent of these diseases, leaving the Cuban population unprotected in the face of a health crisis that continues to escalate.
Durán also warned about epidemiological surveillance regarding other diseases such as zika, chikungunya, and Mayaro fever, although he stated that none of these arboviral diseases are currently present in Cuba.
However, trust in official statements weakens more each day, in light of the reality of the collapsed Cuban healthcare system, evident for many years to those who live on the island.
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