Almost at the close of a new week of confrontation with COVID-19 in the country, the epidemiological situation continues to be diverse and not without risks. Although only in four provinces – Havana, Ciego de Ávila, Mayabeque and Sancti Spíritus – the 62 cases reported in the day were concentrated , Cuba remains attentive to all scenarios, because the challenge continues to be to close roads to the disease as much as possible possible.
The analysis of the temporary working group for the prevention and control of the new coronavirus, led by the President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and the Prime Minister, was essentially directed at the panorama that distinguishes the day-to-day life in these territories. Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz.
Special attention was offered during the exchange to the Cuban capital where, taking into account the behavior of the disease, in recent days it was decided to relax some of the restrictive measures that had been imposed during the month of September, which does not mean that this province you have advanced through the recovery phase.
With three open local broadcast events; 76 active spotlight controls; and an incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 15 days of 15.41 , a period in which 329 patients with the disease have been reported, Havana remains in a phase of limited autochthonous transmission and consequently the behavior has to be in the city.
In this context, the President of the Republic insisted on the clarity with which this matter should be treated so that there is no confusion. What has been done – he asserted – is “to lift the additional restrictions that we had placed on the regrowth conditions and that undoubtedly gave a result, for which the situation has begun to improve.”
Now it is up to us to apply the measures “with great rigor, because the problem is not only having surpassed the regrowth, but also that we have the capacity to avoid a new one” and act in a timely manner in each situation.
The practice has to continue to be – he stressed – working hard and paying close attention to ensuring that the measures are not broken, neither in the Health system, nor in the functioning of the institutions, nor in the work centers, nor in any setting .
The call for individual, family, collective, community and social responsibility has to be constant, because “by sharing responsibilities we can continue moving towards a more favorable situation in Havana,” he stressed.
Particularly on Ciego de Ávila , a province that, after a complicated situation in recent days, has begun to show a trend towards better control of the disease, during the exchange with its main authorities, the Head of State stressed the need not to trust, because in trust, we already know, there is danger.
In a day where that territory reported seven new positive cases; 202 Avilanians infected with the disease remained hospitalized; no death of any person was reported; and new focus controls were not opened in the province either, Díaz-Canel called for rigor in the implementation of the different actions, taking into account the learning acquired in this stage.
For this reason, its emphasis on continuing to investigate carefully to detect any suspect in a timely manner. Now, he considered, they are going to work in a less complex scenario, but the rigor and efficiency have to be greater, so as not to regress in the situation that they have already been overcoming.
From Mayabeque, where in the last 15 days 11 people have been diagnosed with the disease, two of them reported this Saturday, Governor Tamara Valido Benítez assured that strict control measures are maintained in the province, which include isolation and the quarantine of various areas to cut any chain of infections.
Regarding the two new patients reported, she explained that both were in isolation and correspond to an open focus since last September 26. In her area of residence, she asserted, the corresponding prevention and restriction measures are applied, especially in the building and the block that are particularly associated with this outbreak.
While Havana and Ciego de Ávila show a gradual behavior towards the reduction of infections, it is in the province of Sancti Spiritus where a more complex epidemiological situation is evident today. The increase in confirmed cases in recent days – this Saturday was 37 – and their dispersion throughout various parts of the territory, mainly in the main municipality and Trinidad, show the importance of maintaining strict monitoring and study of the entire associated population to the spotlight controls.
When updating about the behavior of the three local transmission events that remain active in the province of Sancti Espiritus, Governor Teresita Romero Rodríguez explained that it is the institutional event linked to the municipal Health Department, where cases continue to be reported at this time.
Meanwhile, the Bernal community, in the municipality of Jatibonico, has not reported cases for 12 days and only two of the 12 who have been diagnosed there remain hospitalized. Similar behavior, ”she said,“ has the event active in the Trinidad hotel “Costa Sur”, where no patients are confirmed in the last four days and 17 of those infected had already received medical discharge.
Taking into account the results of the last days in that territory, in dialogue with its main authorities, President Díaz-Canel recognized that this is the most complicated place in the country in terms of the epidemic. Consequently, he stressed that differentiated analyzes must be carried out there, based on their current epidemiological situation, which will allow the timely adoption of the necessary measures to reduce infections.
Almost seven months of pitched battle against COVID-19 have given us many lessons, including those of anticipating and working rigorously in all scenarios. Taking advantage of them now is also a guarantee for success in the midst of a panorama where Cuba adjusts its steps on the path of the new normal.
(By: Yaima Puig Meneses)