“Two serotypes of dengue circulate in Santiago de Cuba with a high probability of produce severe forms of the disease, if urgent and timely measures are not adopted,” said Alfredo Cintra, head of the Department of Surveillance and Vector Control of the province.
Doctors and nurses from the Saturnino Lora and Juan Bruno Zayas hospitals confirmed to DIARIO DE CUBA that Four strains of dengue circulate in the province, including hemorrhagic, which was controlled for months and reappears as a major problem.
According to Cintra, The territory presents a high infestation of Aedes aegyptidengue transmitting agentespecially “in the main municipality and those of Palma Soriano, Contramaestre, Mella and San Luis”, districts with the most positive cases.
Along with the discomfort caused by the Oropouche virus, a problem is brewing that can overcome the ravages of the new illness, Cintra warned about the seriousness of the current contingency, which “can kill and overshadow the recreation that summer usually brings.”
The presence of dengue is now common in Cubabut in summer outbreaks increase due to the conditions more conducive to the proliferation of Aedes aegypti.
Dr. Irina Montalvo said that Last week, “69 patients were admitted to the South Children’s Hospital of Santiago de Cuba.” with positive monosera, and from that figure 13 ended up in intensive care with low platelets and pouring unusual amounts of blood into the urine. “In addition, some girls saw their menstrual period up to three times in just 20 days.”
At the Ambrosio Grillo hospital, the number of adults with symptoms and bleeding also increases. For their part, two family doctors agreed that “the elderly, chronically ill, pregnant women, young people and especially children are those who are becoming infected with dengue the most.”
“After the fifth day is when complications usually appear,” they detailed.
A Hygiene and Epidemiology official said on condition of anonymity that “the infestation rate of Aedes aegypti is very high, with a reactivity greater than 60%“If confirmed, it would be one of the worst figures reported in Santiago de Cuba in recent decades.
The context is worsened by the increase in garbage dumps, the stagnation of waste and the neglect of pits, cesspools, leaks and sewers.converted into larval breeding grounds, like the one on Calle D, between first and second in the Portuondo neighborhood, which has been affecting the town for 30 years.
It also affects rainwater collection, because distribution cycles range between 15 and 55 days and families are forced to use untreated water from water treatment plants.
While, Drains from peripheral neighborhoods pollute rivers and disperse dirt in densely populated areas. Among the health areas compromised are Dos Caminos, in the municipality of San Luis, and Dos Ríos and Integral, in Palma Soriano.
In the city of Santiago de Cuba, the worst situation is located in the José Martí district and the Abel Santamaría neighborhood, two communities of multi-family buildings with more than 230,000 inhabitants.
Regardless of the situation, the Government has not reported this year the number of patients who have contracted dengue. Nor has it guaranteed the abate and the rest of the products to control mosquito populations. Fumigation is suspended due to fuel shortage. Only the homes of those infected and those adjacent to them receive adulticidal treatment.
