The Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) has announced increased surveillance in Guantanamo in response to the possible outbreak of cholera. This comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning about the rise in cholera cases in approximately twenty countries, including neighboring Haiti.
According to the local newspaper “we will win,” there have been no reported cases of cholera in the eastern province of Cuba in recent weeks. However, the health system has implemented stricter measures to control travelers arriving from countries with high rates of the disease.
Aimeé Blanco Chibás, head of the Department of Communicable Diseases, stated that travelers from affected territories are now being subjected to chemoprophylaxis, receiving a single dose of doxycycline regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. These individuals are also under clinical surveillance by MINSAP from their arrival in Cuba until two weeks later.
Blanco Chibás emphasized the activation of a rapid response system in the event of any symptom related to cholera, such as watery and profuse diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. The province now has access to rapid testing for cholera within its hospital system.
The same protocol is applied to all patients arriving at emergency departments with similar symptoms, particularly diarrhea and dehydration.
Haiti, where a cholera epidemic has caused approximately 1,000 deaths and over 30,000 cases, is particularly of concern to Cuba due to its proximity. Cases of patients arriving from Haiti have also been reported in the neighboring Dominican Republic, which is already facing its own crises of violence and political instability.
This is not the first time Cuba has dealt with cholera outbreaks. In 2013, there were at least 51 cases linked to poor food management in Havana. Additionally, 47 cases were reported in Camagüey, Guantánamo, and Santiago de Cuba following Hurricane Sandy. Despite these incidents, the MINSAP generally does not make public announcements about outbreaks of this nature.
It is worth noting that many Cubans, including those from the eastern provinces, frequently travel to Haiti for shopping tourism. Some Cubans have also settled in Haiti and regularly travel back to the island.
The increased surveillance by MINSAP comes at a time when Cuba is facing a serious shortage of medicines and a crisis in the sanitation of cities and towns. Several territories in the country are also experiencing difficulties with the supply of drinking water.
As the possibility of cholera outbreaks persists, Cuba remains vigilant in its efforts to prevent and control the spread of the disease.