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Health authorities in Matanzas stated that the province exhibits an "epidemiological stability" regarding arboviruses and acute respiratory infections. This claim has sparked significant criticism on social media from doctors and citizens who point out ongoing sequelae, shortages, and persistent risks.
According to Dr. Andrés Lamas Acevedo, director of the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology, the region "remains in a safety zone, according to the provincial endemic channel," and no circulation of the H3N2 virus has been detected.
According to their statements, reported by the official newspaper Girón, December, January, and February constitute the peak seasonal period for respiratory infections, which is why hospital and community surveillance is maintained.
However, he acknowledged a slight increase in acute diarrheal diseases compared to the previous week, although he insisted that the indicators remain within “acceptable” ranges.
The executive emphasized the need to maintain preventive measures such as wearing masks in hospital areas, boiling and chlorinating water, protecting food, and enhancing hygiene, especially in light of recent cases of hepatitis A in some municipalities.
Regarding arbovirosis, it was noted that there has been a decrease in reports, with only 108 this week compared to 151 the previous week. There was also a call to prepare for the expected surge starting in March, when cases of mosquito-borne diseases typically rise.
"What we do need to be prepared for already for next year is the fight against vectors, to carry out destruction focal points, and to get ready because around March the increase in fevers associated with arboviruses, especially dengue, begins again," he emphasized.
However, the official himself acknowledged setbacks in solid waste collection over the past two weeks and warned about the risks associated with liquid waste that can contaminate drinking water.
Reactions
The statements sparked a wave of critical comments on social media. One of the most extensive, signed by Lázaro E. Libre, questioned the use of the term "epidemiological stability" and warned that, from an honest clinical perspective, what is presented as an achievement may actually be the result of the exhaustion of the susceptible reservoir following a massive infection of the population.
According to their analysis, a system can be "stable" while simultaneously malfunctioning, with accumulated damage and the chronicization of the health issue.
Other comments agreed that the decline in cases is logical when a very high proportion of the population has already been infected.
Several users pointed out that there was practically "no one left to get infected," and reported persistent aftereffects, chronic pain, prolonged dependence on medications, and a significant economic impact for obtaining them in the informal market.
Criticism of the lack of coherence between the official rhetoric and everyday reality was also reiterated. Users recalled that overflowing garbage dumps, sewage leaks, a lack of bleach in pharmacies, and a shortage of medications in hospitals continue to persist.
For many, placing almost exclusive responsibility on individual prevention in that context seems unfeasible and disconnected from the actual conditions of the environment.
Some comments mocked the official narrative, comparing "stability" to an inevitable seasonal victory, while others warned that the most concerning issue is not the temporary decline in cases, but the overall deterioration of public health and the normalization of a healthcare system that responds late, poorly, and without resources.
On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel gathered scientists and health system experts at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana, where they assured him that cases of dengue and chikungunya are decreasing in Cuba.
A few hours later, the president stated on the social media platform X that the actions of the Cuban government “are yielding results” against the arboviral epidemic affecting Cuba.
"In a meeting of experts and scientists, mathematical models were presented indicating the containment of the arbovirus epidemic in the country. The measures are yielding results, and we will not let our guard down. We will continue with the work system we have implemented," the leader wrote.
In contrast, weeks ago the official press in Ciego de Ávila acknowledged that the institutions reacted too late to the current arboviral crisis when neighborhoods were already reporting illnesses, in addition to failures in epidemiological monitoring and sanitation that allowed the transmitting mosquito to spread without resistance.
Furthermore, the health authorities of Holguín acknowledged their failure in preventing the mosquito, as the province was dealing with a complex epidemiological situation.
In August, residents of the Máximo Gómez town in the Perico municipality, province of Matanzas, reported that more than 70% of the population was experiencing fever, vomiting, and severe weakness, with no access to medications or medical care.
However, for several weeks, the government downplayed the alerts and targeted activists and independent media, accusing them of lying and distorting the truth.
Furthermore, the Cuban government, through official media such as Radio 26 in Matanzas, attempted to discredit the complaints made by journalist Yirmara Torres, who broke the silence regarding the health crisis and stated that “there are no dead, but there are,” directly referring to the official concealment of deaths associated with the epidemic.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Health denied for quite a long time the existence of deaths related to the outbreak.
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