March 12, 2020—The first cases of COVID-19 coronavirus have been diagnosed yesterday in Cuba at Havana’s Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK). Three of four symptomatic Italian tourists were hospitalized at the Institute March 10. They arrived in Havana on March 9 and traveled directly to Trinidad, where they overnighted at a local hostal. On the 10th, all four presented symptoms and were transferred to the Institute, where on the 11th, three tested positive. Seven Cubans who were in direct contact with the tourists are in observation at the Faustino Perez Provincial Hospital in Sancti Spíritus near Trinidad. This includes their driver, tour operator and five persons from the hostal.
A fourth person, a Cuban citizen living in central Villa Clara Province and married to a Bolivian who arrived from Milan, was also diagnosed at the IPK laboratory, and is hospitalized there now. His wife has tested negative.
Cuban health authorities reported the diagnoses over radio, TV and social media, reiterating the need for the public to regularly wash hands, avoid personal contact, stay at home if ill, and see a health professional if symptomatic. Cuba’s over 10,000 family doctors and nurses, posted in neighborhoods throughout the country, are expected to be the first line of defense if the virus spreads, and have received special training to diagnose and manage cases.
Three Cuban laboratories across the country are using diagnostic kits provided by WHO/PAHO Hospitals in each province have been specially designated to receive patients for observation, and others to receive persons who test positive. These include both civilian and military hospitals.
Since China first reported its epidemic, Cuban authorities have taken measures at all points of entry into the country and mounted a national media campaign to head off local infection and spread, counting on public cooperation with preventive measures.
The World Health Organization has now declared COVID-19 a pandemic and its Director, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has urged all countries to “double down” in their fight to contain it. At the same time, he noted: “Describing this as a pandemic does not mean that countries should give up. The idea that countries should shift from containment to mitigation is wrong and dangerous.”
Expect further updates from MEDICC Review on COVID-19 in Cuba.
