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The Cuban government denied the existence of a health crisis in the province of Las Tunas following the circulation of messages and reports on social media regarding a supposed increase in illnesses and deaths in the eastern territory.
According to a report published by the official outlet Tiempo21Cuba, the General Directorate of Health in Las Tunas stated that “there has been no unusual increase in mortality associated with the viral outbreak during the specified dates.”
The statement, released on November 15, attributes the public alarm to the spread of "unverified messages" and urges the population to seek information only through "official media."
Health authorities stated that epidemiological monitoring is ongoing and that institutions in the area "continue to provide timely medical assistance at all levels of care."
They also indicated that the health system has implemented "a set of actions" to address the situation, in a context marked by the damage from Hurricane Melissa.
The text concludes by urging citizens to "not give in to rumors or unconfirmed publications that attempt to undermine trust in institutions and disturb social peace."
However, official statements were quickly refuted by numerous users on social media, who claimed that the health situation in Las Tunas is much more serious than the Government acknowledges.
Danay Torrejón directly questioned the alleged actions mentioned in the statement. “Could you list the actions that have been taken and where? There are mosquitoes and garbage everywhere, Comunales is conspicuously absent, and there is no fumigation. In the polyclinics, they won't even examine you; they just tell you to look for such-and-such on Revolico and take that because there aren't even thermometers,” she wrote in a lengthy comment where she criticized the lack of official transparency.
Katy Martínez also expressed skepticism: “We want to know what measures have been taken because I don’t see them anywhere, I only see all the sick people and no one even comes to collect the garbage.”
Other internet users, such as Rafelito Parra, have reported the spread of the virus and the lack of governmental response: “You have to be really shameless to make a post like that when there are people who have contracted the virus and haven’t reported it. In my block, there isn’t a single person who isn’t sick. The first thing they should do is suspend classes to prevent more children from getting infected.”
On his part, Nelson Jiménez Díaz pointed to the concealment of information: “If there were a crisis, they wouldn’t inform us. The dumps continue in the streets and the number of cases is increasing as well,” while Iliana Vargas Marrero demanded clarity: “There are many sick people throughout the province and I haven’t seen any fumigation even once. They could explain the actions taken, so that the community feels more at ease.”
For Lisbet Rodríguez, the measures are insufficient: “That virus has increased more and more each day. Everyone in my block is sick, the street is a garbage dump and filled with mosquitoes. Don’t try to hide the sun with a finger, the situation is quite bad.”
In the same vein, Mario Suñol compared the lack of information to what happened after Hurricane Melissa: "There won't be deaths directly caused by the disease, but there will be many people who die with associated conditions. They also said there were no deaths due to Melissa, and yet there were. There are no medications or fumigation. Tell the truth, we are not fools."
Sandra de la Peña Ávila called for transparency: “I haven't seen any actions, but I have seen a lot of waste, leakages, and sick people. We only ask for the truth, not justifications.”
On his part, Dai Acosta, a resident abroad, reported that he knows at least three people who died in Las Tunas with a positive diagnosis. “They tell you that you tested positive for the virus, but do not specify which one. The virus of communism is the one causing the most harm,” he wrote ironically.
The reactions reflect the growing public discontent regarding the lack of information and health management in the province.
While the authorities repeat that "everything is under control," the population insists that outbreaks, garbage, and mosquitoes continue to be part of the daily landscape.
Amid the rise of arbovirus infections in Cuba, many citizens are asking where José Ángel Portal Miranda, the Minister of Public Health, is, as his media absence has sparked speculation about the management of the current health crisis.
The institutional silence has been interpreted by many as an evasion in the face of a lack of effective actions.
The testimonies leave no doubt: entire families are sick due to mosquito-borne illnesses, such as dengue or chikungunya, with no access to medication or qualified medical personnel.
Many affected individuals claim that they have had to self-medicate or resort to makeshift solutions, in a context where institutions seem absent or overwhelmed.
In response to citizen pressure, the regime has begun to produce natural repellents in a handmade manner, a belated measure of questionable effectiveness, which highlights the lack of state planning in the face of cyclical epidemic outbreaks.
This initiative does not address the structural problem of vector control nor does it replace the fumigation campaigns that have been reduced or eliminated in many areas of the country.
The doctor Francisco Durán publicly admitted that the situation is critical, although he tried to minimize its overall impact.
He acknowledged an increase in cases of arboviral diseases and urged the public to enhance hygiene measures, but he did not mention any structural solutions or concrete measures from the healthcare system to contain the spread of the viruses.
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