The Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) confirmed this Thursday a total of 55 deceased and 43 patients reported in serious condition due to arboviral diseases in Cuba, as reported by Deputy Minister Carilda Peña García in a televised update on the country's epidemiological situation.
The official explained that the increase in cases is mainly linked to the circulation of the dengue and chikungunya viruses, although she assured that no new cases of Oropouche fever have been diagnosed in recent days.
Out of the deceased, 18 were due to dengue and the rest from chikungunya, with the majority of the victims being under 18 years old, he explained.
The MINSAP official also noted that 43 patients remain hospitalized in intensive care units, a figure that represents an increase of five cases compared to the previous day, and that most of the critically ill patients are under the age of 18.
"Yesterday, 2,188 people with febrile syndrome were examined, the majority being monitored at home and without the need for hospitalization," detailed Peña García during his appearance on Canal Caribe.
According to MINSAP, the dengue incidence rate stands at 8.32, a figure lower than the same period in 2024 (12.31), although transmission remains active in all provinces of the country.
The Deputy Minister reported that 372 new suspected cases of chikungunya were reported, of which 27 were confirmed by laboratory tests.
As of now, Cuba has reported a total of 47,756 cases of the disease, including 46,053 suspected cases and 1,703 confirmed cases.
Health authorities emphasize controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquito as the primary means to curb the spread of arboviruses; however, official figures confirm that transmission remains out of control in much of the national territory.
Despite official reports that downplay the severity of the outbreak, several provinces—among them Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Camagüey, Havana, and Villa Clara—are experiencing a sustained increase in cases of fever, pediatric admissions, and deaths attributed to "associated complications."
Independent medical experts note that the lack of insecticides, diagnostic reagents, and hospital resources has limited the healthcare system's response to the spread of the virus.
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