Related videos:
The Cuban writer Adriana Ryukiyoi Normand shared an extensive testimony this Thursday about the effects of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne disease that has rapidly spread throughout Cuba and which, according to her words, has affected a much larger number of people than what is acknowledged by official media.
“Today is my day 12 of chikungunya or whatever it is that I have, and I don't have much energy,” she begins her post on , where she candidly describes the symptoms, extreme fatigue, and physical decline that the illness has caused her.
“Official media have stated that 20,000 people have gone to hospitals due to this illness. I highly doubt it. I would dare to say that it’s no longer in the thousands but in the millions,” the artist wrote with a powerful statement that contradicts the regime.
Normand, whom the regime prevented from leaving the country in 2024, stated that the magnitude of the outbreak is clearly perceived in everyday life.
"There are entire provinces with sick individuals, complete families, blocks and neighborhoods filled with cases. One doesn't need to be a graduate in Mathematical Cybernetics to do the math," he noted, referring to the overwhelming strain on the healthcare system and the lack of transparent information regarding the epidemiological situation.
In her account, the author detailed the symptoms she has experienced for nearly two weeks: prolonged fever, pain in her eyes, temples, jaw, and joints, as well as swollen gums, stomach discomfort, and a rash that causes intense itching.
"I still have a tremendous itch in my feet; it hasn't gone away, and at night it's very unpleasant," he commented.
These ailments are compounded by persistent fatigue and muscle pain.
"The feeling I have is, as a meme puts it, that I've been run over by a truck. In my case, I don't think it's the biggest truck, but definitely one that's persistent. Sometimes it feels like I'm out of my body, almost numb, then I move and the pains remind me that I'm still here," she confessed.
Although he claims that his condition has been "mild" compared to other cases, he acknowledged that the recovery is slow and that any physical effort can worsen the symptoms.
“Don’t think you are cured and start making efforts because the body keeps score and will send you the bill,” he advised those going through the same process.
In her post, the writer also reflects on the emotional lessons that illness brings: “I take a deep breath and am grateful to understand through illness that I am not alone in the world and that impermanence is the only reality.”
In recent weeks, the regime has acknowledged a rise in cases of chikungunya and dengue, diseases transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
However, Cuban health authorities have downplayed the impact and maintain figures that many citizens consider unrealistic.
The outbreak occurs amid a profound health crisis, characterized by a shortage of medications, the lack of fumigation and the deterioration of the hospital system.
In neighborhoods of Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Camagüey, and Havana, residents report flooded streets, garbage accumulation, and a lack of vector control campaigns.
Filed under: