Cuban medical authorities have warned that chikungunya can lead to serious complications in young children and pregnant women, groups that are especially vulnerable to this viral disease.
During a press conference reported by Cuban Television, specialists from the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) explained that children under three months old and pregnant women are the most vulnerable groups to chikungunya, a disease that continues to spread throughout the country.
Dr. Yamirka Montesinos, head of the National Group of Pediatric Intensive and Emergency Medicine, warned that in younger infants, infections can present complications more frequently, which is why the medical care protocol establishes enhanced monitoring for this group.
"It is a very symptomatic illness that begins with sudden and persistent fever lasting 48 to 72 hours, difficult to manage with standard antipyretic measures. This causes anxiety and desperation among families, which is why it is essential to seek medical personnel to ensure that the doses of antipyretics are appropriate according to the child's weight," explained the specialist.
For her part, Dr. Dayana Couto, president of the Cuban Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics, insisted that pregnant women should seek immediate medical attention for any fever or suspicious symptoms.
"Everything is arranged in the rooms for monitoring a pregnant woman with a fever syndrome. The important thing is not to delay care," he emphasized.
After the specialists' warnings, the Deputy Minister of Public Health, Carilda Peña García, provided an overview of the complex epidemiological situation the country is facing, with reports of suspected and confirmed cases of chikungunya and dengue in all provinces.
Peña specified that the highest epidemiological risk is currently located in Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Havana, Pinar del Río, and Guantánamo, while the highest rates of infestation by the Aedes aegypti mosquito are recorded in Sancti Spíritus, Camagüey, Santiago de Cuba, Havana, and Villa Clara.
Health authorities reiterated the call to seek medical attention early and to maintain domestic prevention against the transmitting mosquito, in a context of increasing pressure on the healthcare system and a shortage of resources for vector control.
Although health authorities insist on conveying calm regarding the spread of chikungunya and other arboviruses, the reality presents a much more critical situation.
In several provinces, the epidemic has claimed the lives of minors and has overwhelmed hospitals, where there is a shortage of medication and basic resources to care for patients.
While official media attempts to project normalcy, entire families are falling ill and report that healthcare centers are overwhelmed.
Testimonies from different provinces recount the lack of mosquito nets, the absence of fumigation, and the delays in receiving medical attention, especially in vulnerable communities.
In the eastern regions of the country, Guantánamo had to set up shelters for children due to the increase in fever cases.
The decision highlighted the severity of the outbreak and the inability of the hospital system to respond to the increase in infections. Despite this, local authorities uphold a narrative of control and health stability.
The crisis has reached the point where the government has been forced to improvise hospitals for children due to the collapse of pediatric centers.
These makeshift spaces, lacking proper equipment, clearly illustrate the gap between the official narrative and the reality faced by thousands of Cuban families affected by chikungunya and dengue.
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