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A teenager passed away in Santiago de Cuba after suffering a respiratory arrest amid a viral outbreak affecting several provinces in the country, with an increase in cases of dengue, chikungunya, and other arboviral diseases.
The news was reported by independent communicator Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, who informed on his social media about the recent death of a young woman, identified as Roxana, which occurred in the eastern city.
Her post generated a wave of farewell messages and shock among friends, acquaintances, and neighbors, who deeply mourned the loss.
"Rest in peace my beautiful girl... so much sorrow, strength to your mom and dad... may God grant you eternal light," wrote a user, while another recounted that she was at the military hospital when the young woman arrived, and that she helped place her on the stretcher before learning the tragic news of her death.
Although Cuban health authorities have not provided official information on the case, the death occurs in a context of national epidemiological alarm. In recent weeks, the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) has reported over 13,000 people with fever in just seven days, a figure that indicates active circulation of arboviruses throughout the country.
According to the recent explanation by the Deputy Minister of Health, Carilda Peña García, dengue and chikungunya continue to spread, with serotype 4 of dengue being predominant, which increases the risk of complications in reinfected patients.
However, the authorities have insisted that chikungunya "does not cause deaths," so in cases like that of the teenager, there could have been a pre-existing condition or a complication exacerbated by the viral condition.
Meanwhile, the epidemiological situation on the island continues to deteriorate. The lack of medications, repellents, and resources for spraying has left the population practically unprotected against the transmitting mosquitoes.
In some areas, state media have even recommended “covering the body” as a preventive measure due to the shortage of repellents, a suggestion that has caused outrage among citizens.
Hospitals and health centers are also facing increasing saturation. In provinces like Guantánamo and Ciego de Ávila, shelters and extensions of pediatric hospitals have been set up to care for children with mild symptoms and alleviate the burden on emergency rooms.
In the midst of this situation, many Cubans turn to natural remedies such as infusions of cherry leaves or medicinal plants to relieve fever symptoms, due to the lack of basic medications in state pharmacies.
So far, the Ministry of Public Health has not issued an official statement regarding the case nor clarified whether the death is directly related to the virus or to a related complication.
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