Cuban health authorities reported on Wednesday a "slight decrease" in cases of dengue and oropouche, although both diseases continue to significantly affect the population, particularly in the eastern regions of the country.
The director of Hygiene and Epidemiology at the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap), Francisco Durán, stated in remarks to state television that diseases primarily transmitted by mosquitoes and other biting insects continue to be a significant public health issue, although they have decreased.
However, he did not specify the current figures of those infected.
In October of last year, the Ministry of Public Health reported over 17,000 suspected cases of dengue for the year, many of which required hospitalization in intensive care units.
In September, 12,000 suspected cases of oropouche were identified, a disease that was first detected in Cuba in May and is now circulating throughout the country, partly due to inadequate vector control and sanitary measures on the island.
Durán, who has stated that the country lacks fuel for fumigation campaigns, urged the population to maintain environmental sanitation and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.
However, he acknowledged that structural issues, such as water drainage problems in public roads, continue to pose a challenge in controlling the spread of these diseases.
Dengue, endemic to Cuba, currently affects 14 of the country's 15 provinces and is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the island reported over 3,000 confirmed cases of this disease in both 2019 and 2022.
On the other hand, oropouche, also known as sloth fever, is transmitted by insects such as the Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito and the jején (Culicoides paraensis). Its symptoms, which are similar to those of dengue, include fever, muscle and joint pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
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