Cuba's Health Crisis: Control of Chikungunya and Dengue Epidemics

Cuba's health officials have reported a potential turning point in the ongoing chikungunya and dengue epidemics. According to OnCuba News, the country's Deputy Minister of Public Health, Carilda Pena, announced on Cuban television that the trend of decreasing new infections suggests that the outbreaks could soon be under control.

As of now, there are approximately 70,000 reported cases of these diseases, with 42,339 of them categorized as chikungunya, while the dengue figures remain unclear due to underreporting of cases as many patients do not seek medical attention.

Pena mentioned that in a recent day, there were 2,069 new cases of unspecified febrile syndrome, which is a common symptom for both diseases, significantly lower than the previous week's numbers. Additionally, the Pan American Health Organization has reported nearly 26,000 dengue cases so far this year.

Despite a current count of 71 patients in intensive care, including critically ill minors, the government acknowledges the severe economic crisis complicating prevention and response efforts. Meanwhile, the U.S.

State Department has issued a Level 2 travel health notice for Cuba due to the ongoing chikungunya outbreak, advising travelers to take enhanced precautions to avoid mosquito bites.