Cuba, for the first time, processed over 24,000 COVID-19 tests in a day

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 26 (ACN) For the first time, molecular biology laboratories in Cuba processed 24,019 PCR samples on Sunday, of which almost 1,000 were positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The national epidemiology director of the ministry of public health (MINSAP by its Spanish acronym), Dr Francisco Duran Garcia reported that at the end of the last day in the country six people died from complications of the disease and there are already 597 deaths.

He said that although Sunday's figure is the lowest number of confirmed cases in the last 15 days (from April 11 to 25), except on April 11, when 854 cases were reported, the alert should not be lowered and urged to continue reinforcing the hygienic and biosecurity measures due to the seriousness of this pandemic, which is not like at the beginning of its appearance in the country.

He also explained that since November 1 to date, the number of diagnosed cases related to international travelers amounts to 11,333 (11.3%).

Duran Garcia warned that 93.9% (881 patients) are contacts of confirmed cases, which continues to be the highest risk group and already total 96,810, the 94.5% of all confirmed cases in the country.

In the last 15 days, Havana and Matanzas are the provinces with the highest incidence rates in the country and 42% are concentrated in 12 municipalities of the country, among them Regla and Old Havana, the expert concluded.