Cuba Facesโฃ Urgent Battle Against Risingโฃ Dengue & Arbovirus Cases
Cuba is currently grappling with a significantโฃ surge in Aedes aegypti mosquito populations and, consequently, a high incidence of arboviral diseases like dengue and chikungunya. Authorities are implementing a nationwideโ response, focusing on โคboth mosquitoโ control andโข heightened medical vigilance, โคnotably for vulnerable populations.
The provinces of Pinar del โRรญo, โSancti Spรญritus, Camagรผey, โSantiago de Cuba, Havana, and Villa Claraโฃ areโฃ experiencing the most severe mosquito infestations. โคA key โขcomponent of the national strategy is intensive fumigation, aiming to cover all urban areas within three weeks. โขWhileโฃ progress is being made, recent โคdata indicates that only Mayabeque, Havana,โข Cienfuegos, Ciegoโ de รvila, and Santiago de Cuba have achieved over 95% โcoverage in the last โweek.
Officials are โคemphasizing the legal obligation of residents toโฃ allow vector controlโ teams access to their homes for fumigation, citingโค that โrefusal constitutes a publicโ health risk โand could be considered a crime.โ Following treatment, residents are โคinstructed to keep their homes closed โคfor 45 minutes to โคmaximize effectiveness. Beyond fumigation, authorities are โคstressing โthe importance of community involvement in โขeliminating mosquito breeding grounds – including regularly cleaningโ water โขtanks and properly โคutilizingโ larvicide (abate). โค Citizens โare encouraged to report concerns or โcomplaints โtoโค their local polyclinic’s Vector control Department or theโ municipal Department of Hygiene โฃand Epidemiology.
Protecting the Most Vulnerable: Children & Pregnant Women
The Ministry of โคPublic Health hasโ issued specific protocolsโข forโ managingโ potentialโฃ arbovirus cases in children and pregnant women,โ recognizing their heightened risk ofโฃ complications.
Dr. Yamirka Montesino Felipe, a leading pediatric intensive โขcare specialist, โคannounced that all children under two years of โขage presenting with fever should be โimmediately hospitalized for close monitoring and early intervention. Infants โunder three months and children with โpre-existing conditions like cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, or chronic kidney diseaseโฃ require even more intensive care.โ โThe emphasisโฃ is on rapid diagnosisโ and treatment toโฃ prevent severe โoutcomes. Symptoms in โคchildren include persistent, challenging-to-manage fever lasting 48-72 hours, โskin rashes (ranging โขfrom โฃredness to blisters), and joint pain, though typically less severe than in adults. โค Gastrointestinal โissuesโฃ like vomiting andโ diarrhea, leading to dehydration, are also โcommon, highlighting the critical โneed for โฃadequate hydration, particularly continued breastfeeding for infants.
Similarly, pregnant women experiencing fever are to be immediately admitted to hospitals.โข Dr. Dianaโฃ couto Nรบรฑez,president of theโ cuban Society โof Gynecology and Obstetrics,explained this protocol ensures expert diagnosis and symptom management,preventing potentially serious complications. โ She โstressed the importance of seeking medical attention โฃat โthe first sign of illness, especially for pregnant โฃwomen with comorbidities โขlike hypertension or diabetes.โ โThe โnational health system is actively tracking morbidity reports from all provinces to monitor the situation closely.
This multi-faceted approach underscores โขthe urgency of theโค situation โand the commitment to protecting the health of the Cuban โpopulation during this arbovirus outbreak.
