Outages and mosquitoes: Cuban mother shows her son's body covered in welts

A Cuban mother identified as Yania Delgado posted on Facebook photographs of her son's body covered in severe welts caused by mosquito bites, in a complaint that reflects the direct health impact of the power outages affecting the island.

The images show multiple erythematous lesions, papules, and welts distributed across the young man's torso, arm, and leg, with visible inflammation surrounding each lesion.

"Until when, that is my son. He is already taking Benadryl and prednisone. Another night without being able to sleep. A good and hardworking child, I don’t want to imagine the little ones. Stop the abuse," wrote Delgado in his post.

The treatment the young man receives reveals the seriousness of the situation: benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an antihistamine used to relieve mild itching and inflammation, while prednisone is an oral corticosteroid that doctors reserve for severe allergic reactions, hives, or angioedema that do not respond to antihistamines alone.

The case is directly related to the electricity crisis that Cuba is experiencing in 2026, with power outages exceeding 20 hours a day in Havana and up to 24 hours in other provinces, as well as a generation deficit that surpassed 2,000 MW on several days in May.

Without electricity, families cannot use fans, air conditioners, or electric mosquito nets, leaving them exposed to insects throughout the night.

This is compounded by the deterioration of sanitation services: the accumulation of garbage and stagnant water promote the proliferation of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the vector for dengue and chikungunya.

The case of Yania Delgado is not isolated. In June 2025, a child in Cárdenas was reported with their back covered in bites during the blackouts.

Similarly, in July 2025, an eight-year-old boy died in Manzanillo with suspected hemorrhagic dengue, while neighbors reported the accumulated garbage as a breeding ground for Aedes aegypti.

In October 2025, Matanzas reported an outbreak of dengue and chikungunya amid power outages, months without water, and overwhelmed hospitals.

Recently, the Cuban actor Luis Alberto García publicly denounced that power outages are seriously affecting the children on the island.

Cuba ended 2025 with at least 65 official deaths from dengue and chikungunya and over 81,900 infected. The Ministry of Public Health reported in November of that year more than 20,000 cases of chikungunya with a high concentration of mosquitoes in several provinces.