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The situation in Matanzas has left a large part of the Cuban population on edge, worried about the diseases affecting that area and the secrecy that characterizes the regime, which fuels the fear that the problem is much more serious than the government publicly acknowledges.
Those suspicions have gained more strength in recent hours, after a voice from within the government dared to break the silence.
The journalist Yirmara Torres Hernández, affiliated with local radio, posted a heartfelt message on her Facebook profile, where she denounces the deaths of people in her community due to the chikungunya outbreak, in direct contradiction to the official versions that deny any fatalities.
“There are no dead, but there are”, wrote the communicator this Thursday, recounting the death of a neighbor of her son, an elderly woman who passed away after contracting chikungunya while dealing with another medical condition.
The story came through the journalist's own son, who was deeply affected by the loss—a profoundly moving testimony that directly contradicts the regime, which has denied the deaths of individuals due to the epidemics affecting Matanzas.
In his text, Torres shares other experiences and messages sent to him by residents of Matanzas, including a former university professor who told him how her grandmother's husband passed away in the Faustino Pérez provincial hospital after being admitted for one of those viruses and staying there for only one day.
The journalist —who had already warned days earlier about her own experience with the illness— issues an urgent call to look beyond the triumphant rhetoric.
"When the fever began to subside and I was able to hold my phone, I wrote about my experience with chikungunya... I raised the alarm about what could happen if nothing was done," she wrote, acknowledging that even at that moment she was already aware of fatal cases, although not officially attributed to the virus.
“Several people then wrote to me privately to share about their deceased,” he confessed.
These words evoke the dark days of the pandemic, when the Cuban regime publicly denied deaths from COVID-19, even though the population knew that the reality was different.
Torres also highlights the structural causes of the worsening crisis: the lack of water, medication, electricity, the increasing unsanitary conditions, and the complete abandonment of vector control measures.
"We live in constant stress, we are poorly nourished, immunocompromised..." he lamented.
“The nights belong to mosquitoes, rats, cockroaches... What vector control will there be like this?”, he questions.
The journalist does not hide her frustration with the official narrative that insists everything is "under control."
What happens is that abandonment hurts. What happens is that it hurts to have your intelligence insulted. What happens is that mockery hurts, he states with words that contrast with the official and obscurantist rhetoric that typically characterizes epidemics in Cuba.
The message has generated significant impact, not only due to the harshness of the content but also because it comes from a journalist within the system, in a province where the Ministry of Public Health has downplayed the situation and the government has improvised hospitals in response to the collapse of pediatric centers.
In the face of censorship, misinformation, and fear, Torres's words resonate as a rare display of honesty from within the state informational apparatus: “Many families know this, neighbors know it, and so do the doctors and politicians who have not lost their humanity.”
Frequently Asked Questions about the Health Crisis in Matanzas
What is the current situation of the health crisis in Matanzas?
The situation in Matanzas is critical, with an outbreak of chikungunya severely affecting the population. Journalist Yirmara Torres Hernández has reported deaths and a healthcare collapse, contradicting the official version that denies any fatalities. The healthcare system is overwhelmed due to a lack of resources, medications, and vector control.
What has the Cuban government said about the chikungunya deaths in Matanzas?
The Cuban government, through the Minister of Public Health, has officially denied the existence of deaths due to chikungunya in Matanzas. However, testimonies and reports from citizens and journalists contradict this statement, pointing to unacknowledged deaths.
What are the conditions that have worsened the health crisis in Matanzas?
The health crisis in Matanzas has worsened due to the lack of water, medications, blackouts, and widespread unsanitary conditions. The accumulation of garbage and negligence in vector control have favored the proliferation of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. These conditions have exacerbated the spread of the virus and the collapse of the health system.
How is the population of Matanzas responding to the health crisis?
The population of Matanzas is facing the crisis with public denunciations and testimonies about the severity of the situation. Citizens and public figures have criticized the government's lack of transparency and the precariousness of the healthcare system. Many people rely on external aid to obtain medications and cope with the epidemic.
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