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The university community of Santiago de Cuba is once again draped in mourning following the passing of two young members of the University of Oriente (UO), just 24 hours after a similar announcement was made by the institution itself.
This time, it is about Licentiate Raudel de Armas Louis, a professor in the Department of Biology and secretary of the Committee of the Union of Young Communists (UJC) at the Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, and a second-year student of Sociocultural Management for Development from the Municipal University Center (CUM) of San Luis.
According to the institution's own reports on its social media, De Armas Louis was hospitalized and passed away early on Friday, despite medical efforts. The loss of the 24-year-old has caused deep consternation among colleagues and students, who remember him as a passionate and dedicated educator.
A few hours later, the CUM San Luis confirmed the passing of the student Beatriz Carmenaty Corona, 22 years old. According to the UO's publication, the young woman suffered from a chronic illness that, exacerbated by cardiovascular complications, led to her death.
Classmates and teachers described her as a cheerful and dedicated girl who bravely fought against her illness.
“Gray days for the University of Oriente,” stated the higher education institution in a condolence message shared on social media, where hundreds of users joined in expressing their sorrow and solidarity with the families and loved ones of both young individuals.
These two deaths add to other recent losses that have struck the University of Oriente in recent weeks, including those of Professor Pedro Antonio Rodríguez Fernández from the Faculty of Chemical and Agricultural Engineering, and student Luis Enrique Vicet Castellanos from Mechanical Engineering.
The series of deaths has generated concern and sadness in the eastern academic community, as many teachers and students report the physical and emotional strain they face amid precarious living conditions, resource shortages, and challenges within the Cuban healthcare system.
The institution reiterated its commitment to support families and preserve the human and professional legacy of its deceased members.
A health crisis that also impacts universities
The recent deaths of students and professors at the University of Oriente occur amid a severe epidemiological crisis affecting all of Cuba since mid-2025, with simultaneous outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya, and Oropouche virus in several provinces across the country, including Santiago de Cuba.
The Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) has acknowledged the spread of these mosquito-borne diseases, although independent organizations and professionals in the field warn that the actual figures for infections and deaths could be much higher than those officially reported. In just one week of October, over 13,000 cases of nonspecific fever were recorded, a clear indication of the magnitude of the problem.
The degradation of the healthcare system, the lack of medications, the scarcity of reagents for diagnosing infections, and the inefficiency of fumigation campaigns have worsened the situation.
In many Eastern communities, residents report that mosquito breeding sites are multiplying amid piles of trash and stagnant water, while hospitals operate with minimal resources and exhausted staff.
In this context, the recent deaths at the UO reflect not only the fragility of the Cuban healthcare system but also the impact that the epidemiological crisis is having on young individuals and professionals actively engaged in academic pursuits.
Although it has not been officially confirmed that the causes of death are related to dengue or another arbovirus, the increase in fatalities and severe cases in educational and workplace institutions is raising concerns among family members and colleagues.
The health situation adds to the social discontent over the regime's lack of transparency in handling epidemiological data and its refusal to declare a national emergency, despite the demands from medical and social organizations.
In Santiago de Cuba, where the UO is located, reports of fever cases, hospitalizations, and sudden deaths have increased alarmingly, creating a landscape of exhaustion and vulnerability that even extends to academic spaces.
The deaths of young people and university professors occur within a context of health and social crisis, highlighting the structural deficiencies of the Cuban system and the human cost of its prolonged deterioration.
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