COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba

The COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have spread to Cuba on 11 March 2020 when three Italian tourists tested positive for the virus.[2]

COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationCuba
Index caseTrinidad
Arrival date24 February 2020
(4 months and 4 days)
Confirmed cases2,319[1]
Suspected cases‡499[1]
Recovered2,130[1]
Deaths
85[1]
Government website
https://covid19cubadata.github.io/#cuba
‡Suspected cases have not been confirmed as being due to this strain by laboratory tests, although some other strains may have been ruled out.

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[3][4]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[5][6] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[7][5]

As a country that has deployed medical personnel to other parts of the world during the last decades, like it was the case in 2014 when the WHO promoted the deployment of medical personnel from Cuba to Africa to fight the Ebola epidemic, Cuba's “medical internationalism” has played an important role during the COVID-19 crisis. Cuba has sent medical personnel to the hardest-hit Italian wealthy region of Lombardy as well as to Angola and a dozen Caribbean states such as Suriname and West Indies. Nevertheless, Cuba is also facing challenges on a domestic level. First, of all, having a very precarious domestic health system that is no longer the same as what it used to be health professionals are facing several challenges such as shortage of medical supply, poor sanitary conditions and low wages. Cuba also has one of the oldest population in the continent, together with Uruguay. With one-quarter of the population being considered part of the population at-risk the poor health system can lead to a high death toll during the pandemic. In addition, Cuba's economy has been precarious during the last two years, and it's being threatened by a deeper deterioration of the economic situation due to the decrease in tourism and remittances. As a consequence, the government began centralizing economic decision making in order to avoid a deeper economic crisis like the one experienced by the country after the end of the Cold War. [8]

Timeline

March 2020

On 11 March, the first three cases in Cuba were confirmed. The patients were Italian tourists. They were kept in isolation at the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute in Havana.[9]

The government urged citizens to make their own face masks, while the textile industry was drafted to fabricate them. People were advised to carry several cloth face masks with them, depending on how many hours they plan to spend in public areas.[2]

On 12 March, a fourth confirmed case was announced. This was a Cuban, whose wife had arrived from Milan, Italy on 24 February, and who had started showing symptoms on 27 February. The husband had begun to show symptoms by 8 March. Both were tested and he was positive. The wife was stated to be negative because the disease had run its course.[10]

On 16 March, the cruise ship MS Braemar, with over 1,000 passengers and crew on board, was given permission to berth in Cuba after being rejected by the Bahamas. At least five passengers have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). British citizens were able to take flights home after both governments reached an agreement on their repatriation.[11][12]

On 17 March, the number of confirmed cases increased to 7.[13]

On 18 March, the number of confirmed cases increased to 10, and the first death was announced, a 61-year old Italian who had been one of the first three confirmed.[14]

On 19 March, the number of confirmed cases increased to 16.[15]

On 20 March, the number of confirmed cases increased to 21.[16] Also, it was announced that Cuba will restrict entry to residents with effect from 24 March.[17] Only Cuban residents may enter, that is, if they have not been outside of Cuba for more than 24 months; as well as foreigners residing on the island.[18]

On 22 March, the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) of Cuba raised the number of coronavirus infections on the island to 35 but are monitoring more than 950 suspected cases, according to information published by the state agency on its website.[19]

On 23 March, authorities in Cuba raised the number of coronavirus patients to 48.[20]

On 24 March, the Cuban government closed all schools until at least 20 April.[21]

Visitors who arrived between 17 and 23 March are required to be tested for the coronavirus.[22]

As of 30 March, the amount of confirmed coronavirus cases is at 170, with 4 deaths.[23]

April 2020

With effect from midnight on 1 April, Cuba suspended the arrival of all international flights.[24]

On 4 April, authorities in Cuba raised the number of coronavirus patients to 288.[25]

As of 15 April, there are 755 cases of COVID-19 in Cuba, there are total 18,856 total tests done so far[26]

May 2020

As of 12 May, new cases had fallen to less than 20 per day, and a program of mass testing was beginning.[27]

As of 30 May, the city of Havana represents slightly more than half of the total confirmed cases. [28]

See also

References
  1. "Infecciones por coronavirus – COVID-19". temas.sld.cu (in Spanish).
  2. "Cuba confirms 1st coronavirus cases, urges citizens to make own masks". Reuters. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  3. Elsevier. "Novel Coronavirus Information Center". Elsevier Connect. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  4. Reynolds, Matt (4 March 2020). "What is coronavirus and how close is it to becoming a pandemic?". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  5. "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  6. "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  7. "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". www.wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  8. Blofield, Merike; Hoffmann, Bert; Llanos, Mariana (April 2020). "Assessing the Political and Social Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis in Latin America" (PDF). GIGA Focus Latin America (3): 1–12. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  9. Smith, Savanna. "Cuba reports the first three cases of coronavirus in the island". Miami Herald. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  10. "Cuba: Fourth case of coronavirus". Cuba News Agency. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  11. "Cuba autoriza recibir crucero británico con casos de Covid-19". Telesur. 16 March 2020.
  12. "Coronavirus-hit cruise ship in diplomatic scramble to find somewhere to dock". CNN. 16 March 2020.
  13. "Nota informativa sobre dos nuevos casos confirmados de COVID-19" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Salud Pública de la República de Cuba. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  14. "Actualización 18 de marzo sobre el Covid-19 en Cuba" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Salud Pública de la República de Cuba. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  15. "Ascienden a 16 los casos confirmados de COVID-19 en Cuba" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Salud Pública de la República de Cuba. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  16. "Nota informativa sobre nuevos casos confirmados de COVID-19" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Salud Pública de la República de Cuba. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  17. "Cuba bars entry to foreign tourists in bid to contain coronavirus spread". Reuters. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  18. "Coronavirus en Cuba: minuto a minuto del avance de la pandemia en la isla" (in Spanish). ADN Cuba. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  19. "Cuba coronavirus cases reach 35: details about 10 new cases". ADN Cuba. 22 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  20. "Cuba coronavirus cases reach 48: details about 8 new cases". ADN Cuba. 22 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  21. Jessie Yeung; Helen Regan; Adam Renton; Emma Reynolds; Mike Hayes; Meg Wagner (24 March 2020). "Cuba is going under lockdown over coronavirus concerns". CNN. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  22. "Cuba bans all tourists and imposes draconian rules amid coronavirus pandemic". The Independent. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  23. "Parte de cierre del día 29 de marzo de 2020 a las 12:00 de la noche" (in Spanish). 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  24. "Cuba suspends arrival of international flights to stop coronavirus". Reuters. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  25. "Cuba at the edge of 300 cases of COVID-19: there are already 288". Directorio Cubano. 4 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  26. Morris, Emily; Kelman, Ilan. "Coronavirus response: why Cuba is such an interesting case". The Conversation. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  27. "Cuba begins mass testing for Covid-19 as new cases fall to fewer than 20 per day". The Guardian. Reuters. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  28. https://covid19cubadata.github.io/#cuba

[1]

  1. "Cuba Coronavirus: 1,369 Cases and 54 Deaths - Worldometer". www.worldometers.info. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
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