Despite US blockade, Cuba to win the battle against COVID-19, expert says

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 22 (ACN) Dr. Francisco Duran, national director of epidemiology of the Cuban ministry of public health, affirmed today that despite the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States, Cuba will win the battle against COVID-19, a pandemic that is currently affecting 190 countries and 29 territories.

He said that the economic limitations imposed in recent years by that genocidal policy have not been able to prevent Cuban scientists from developing five vaccine candidates against COVID-19, two of which (Soberana 02 and Abdala) are in phase 3 clinical trials.

It is a light of hope what Cuban scientists have done to control the pandemic, said Duran, and insisted on continuing the actions to avoid contagion with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the infectious disease, and especially the self-responsibility with the use of the mask, physical distancing and hand disinfection.

The official pointed out that it is the intention of the country's top management that by the end of this year all Cubans will be immunized against this highly transmitted and lethal virus, which has infected more than 123 million people in the world and up to yesterday's closing date, there were 2,725,140 deaths.

The specialist added that so far no child or adolescent has died as a result of the pandemic in the country, and 91.8 percent of the sick have already been discharged from the hospital.