The national director of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba (MINSAP), Francisco Durán, warned this Wednesday about the increased risk of diseases in Guantánamo, one of the areas most affected by the recent flooding associated with Hurricane Oscar.
"With the images we have seen and what the work teams have informed us, urgent sanitary measures are necessary, especially regarding water," Durán stated on national television, recommending boiling water and using chlorine tablets, the distribution of which is already being managed in the affected areas.
It also emphasized the need to discard spoiled food and to properly cook those that are still suitable for consumption.
Durán warned that cases of diarrheal, respiratory, and digestive diseases could manifest immediately; however, the risk of dengue and Oropouche fever will increase in the coming weeks due to the rise in mosquito breeding sites.
He said that the health crisis is worsening in the country, where more than 17 thousand patients were hospitalized last week, many in intensive care, due to the dengue epidemic affecting most of the territory.
The epidemiologist highlighted that 14 provinces have reported cases of dengue, while the Oropouche virus has been detected in 15.
In his latest television report, the official emphasized the need for early clinical attention, especially in children, who must be hospitalized at the first sign of the illness, as they can quickly worsen if they do not receive proper hydration.
Amidst this situation, a Cuban expressed on Facebook her grief over the death of an 8-year-old girl in the municipality of Güira de Melena, presumably due to dengue.
"My municipality mourns the loss of this girl... doctors tend to say it's viral and that all it takes is rest and plenty of fluids, but in just a week, children end up in serious condition," said the woman, who urged families not to let their guard down in the face of symptoms in minors.
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