HAVANA, Cuba, Aug 23 (ACN) Francisco Duran Garcia, national director of epidemiology of the ministry of public health(MINSAP by its Spanish acronym), insisted today on the need for self-protection in view of the increase in the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 in the country. He explained that during the first 22 days of this month, 198,276 people were diagnosed with the disease and 1,773 died.
According to the specialist, since July, and especially in August, there has been a n significant increase in the number of deaths, which has much to do with the prevalence in the country of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.
The expert explained that from 70 deaths in January, the figure reached 108 in February, 101 in March, 229 in April, 311 in May, 337 in June and 1,543 in July.
There are currently 49,901 active COVID-19 patients in Cuba, said Duran Garcia in his daily press conference.
Yesterday, 9,320 new cases of the disease were reported in the country, for a positivity of 19.7 % of the samples analyzed, with only Havana and Matanzas provinces and the Special Municipality of the Isle of Youth being below the average.
And, above the national average, said the director of epidemiology, are Pinar del Rio, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Mayabeque, Camagüey and Guantanamo.
This Sunday, 1,958 children under age 20 were diagnosed, 1,847 of them in pediatric ages. Duran Garcia warned about the high figures reached in this age group in the last two weeks.
In the face of an increase in the incidence, which is always accompanied by an increase in the number of deaths, it is necessary to limit movement, not only through the measures taken by the government but also through the responsible behavior of the family, he concluded.
