Seven newborns receiving care at the Provincial Neonatology Service of Sancti Spíritus are progressing well after being diagnosed with chikungunya, as confirmed state media.
Despite the fact that all were reported as serious and critical since November 11, amid the complex epidemiological situation in Cuba due to arboviral diseases, the newborns are on the road to recovery.
This provides relief for the doctors, as at this stage of life the illness is potentially fatal.
According to Dr. Meidalis Martínez Barrios, a second-degree specialist in Neonatology and head of the department, the management of these patients has required a meticulous clinical follow-up, the implementation of specific protocols, and an almost uninterrupted effort from the medical and nursing staff.
He recalled that, in newborns, unlike in other stages of life, chikungunya is “a serious and potentially fatal disease”, which necessitates intensive neonatal management with strict control of medications, fluid balance, and hemodynamic monitoring.
“We have had a total of seven patients. We began to see the first case on November 11th. Two of these patients were reported as critical. The remaining five were reported as serious because, according to protocol, a newborn with symptoms of chikungunya is reported as serious,” detailed Radio Sancti Spíritus.
The specialist noted that two of the babies were not very symptomatic, while the others did present a more complex clinical picture; however, all have progressed toward recovery from the illness.
The first three days of admission, he emphasized, are the ones with the highest level of care tension.
"The two who have been in critical condition are the ones we have had to work with the most and have had the longest time of evolution in the service," he added.
In light of the complexity of the cases, the Neonatology service had to increase on-call shifts and enhance the presence of specialized personnel.
“The doctors and nurses are working 24 hours every 48 hours,” explained Martínez Barrios, describing the “exhausting” shifts due to the intensity of the care these patients require.
The neonatologist acknowledged that the professional challenge has been immense: “Even we in the service, doctors have commented that this has been more difficult for us than COVID,” she stated, referring to the healthcare burden and the level of risk that the disease poses for these extremely vulnerable patients.
The case of the newborns from Sancti Spíritus is situated within a national context of sustained deterioration of epidemiological indicators.
According to the Deputy Minister of Public Health, Carilda Peña García, Cuba concluded the last day with 107 individuals hospitalized in intensive care units due to arbovirosis, of which 79 are in serious condition and 28 are critically ill.
Most critical cases are under 18 years of age, including neonates and newborns, which has necessitated increased monitoring of the pediatric population.
During that same period, health authorities identified 6,793 individuals with nonspecific fever syndrome; 88% received some form of hospitalization, and 43,911 patients are currently under observation.
The positivity rate of the IgM test for dengue rose to 24.6%, compared to 18.5% the previous day, after conducting more studies on the sixth day of symptoms, indicating that viral circulation continues to rise.
The control of the Aedes aegypti mosquito remains a critical issue. In the latest report, 416 breeding sites were detected, which keeps the infestation rate high.
Regarding chikungunya, 826 new cases were recorded, bringing the total to 37,194 infected individuals since the onset of the epidemic. Only six of those diagnosed in the last day were confirmed by PCR, and the total confirmed by this method rises to 1,177, while most are diagnosed based on clinical and epidemiological criteria.
Peña García reported that 96% of the fumigation plan has been completed, although he acknowledged that there are still shortages of equipment in several areas, which limits the effectiveness of adulticidal actions.
It also announced the commencement of clinical trials in Matanzas and the expansion of flu vaccination to younger age groups in areas with greater epidemiological complexity, as part of the strategy to reduce associated complications.
Despite these announcements, the deputy minister admitted that the country cannot yet speak of a controlled situation.
He pointed out that the behavior of the epidemic is heterogeneous and volatile among municipalities, with some areas showing a slight decrease in cases of fever while others are entering phases of increasing suspected cases.
In that scenario, the favorable evolution of the seven newborns with chikungunya in Sancti Spíritus stands out as an encouraging outcome within an overall context of high tension for the healthcare system.
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