Cuban health authorities concerned about number of children infected with COVID-19

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 26 (ACN) Experts from the Cuban ministry of public health (MINSAP by its Spanish acronym) warn about the high number of children, adolescents and young people who continue to be diagnosed with COVID-19, even in the midst of the restrictions and measures adopted in the country.

In his usual daily presentation, broadcast by Cuban TV, Dr. Francisco Duran, national director of epidemiology of MINSAP, said that the situation has not changed since 158 children under 20 years of age were diagnosed on Sunday, including 136 in the pediatric age group (under 18).
Again alarmed, he reported that 12,976 children, adolescents and young people under 18 have already been diagnosed in Cuba, 12.6% of all confirmed cases during the pandemic, and 93.6% have been recovered, while there are currently 810 active cases.

The expert specified that among the 136 diagnosed in pediatric ages yesterday, there are nine children under one year of age (six from Havana, two from Santiago de Cuba and one from Matanzas), and there are already 684 infants who have contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is becoming more aggressive every day with the circulation in the country of new genetic and mutational variants.

Duran Garcia stated that of the nine diagnosed yesterday, eight are under the age of six months, including four newborns.

All the infants infected since the outbreak of the pandemic have been contacts of confirmed cases, with an average of 17.2 contacts per infant, warned the MINSAP official, who once again urged parents and family members to provide greater protection for these very vulnerable infants.
He also called attention to the fact that among newborns there are a total of 10 contacts, a very worrying figure.

During April, 149 pediatric cases (under 18 years of age) are being reported in average every day, the expert concluded.