Official data minimize the presence of the disease and admit only a few severe cases of the Oropouche virus
14ymedio, Madrid, 29 August 2024 — There is concern on the Island after the director of Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health, Francisco Durán, spoke on Wednesday of a “considerable increase” in cases of Oropouche fever. Since the detection of the first patient in May, 506 cases have been diagnosed, “the lowest figure in the Latin American and Caribbean region,” the doctor said. But the situation on the ground does not reflect the official optimism.
“In 99 municipalities?” questions one of the thousands of users who have reacted on networks to Durán’s statements. “I would say that in all the houses and state hotels of Cuba there is no one left who has not been sick with either dengue or Oropouche. Having it diagnosed is not worth the five pesos since there is a lack of reagents, even for a minimal leukogram, which makes it difficult. How can we expect a confirmation of antigens?
“If they don’t count those who have not gone to the doctor, the figure remains very small. At least where I live even the dogs have caught it,” says a reader of Cubadebate.
Durán, who mentioned the presence of fever in all the Cuban provinces, added that “so far no serious cases or deaths have been reported, and 80% of the people who have been suspected of contracting the disease without testing positive have recovered at home.” How?
“If they don’t count those who have not gone to the doctor, the figure remains very small. At least where I live even the dogs have caught it.”
Agustín has been in bed for 21 days, confined to his home in El Globo, in Calabazar. Although his friends consider him a very healthy man, he points out that the virus left him “fried,” and only after the
