Isle of Youth Undergoes Complex COVID-19 Scenario

Nueva Gerona, Dec 28 (ACN) The Isle of Youth Municipality, south of western Cuba, could reach its worst COVID-19 peak this week ever which can result in a highly tense epidemiological scenario in the territory, according to the temporary working team against the pandemic.

This is the worst moment for the Isle of Youth in nearly two years after the territory showed very low COVID-19 prevalence for months; the latest report tells of 98 local confirmed cases over the past 15 days, standing for an incidence rate of 117,9 per every 100 thousand inhabitants, one of the highest such rates in Cuba, said municipal health director Israel Velazquez.

The doctor said that the difficult clinical and epidemiological situation is due to unknown infection sources of more than half of the sick. Predictions talk of a possible increase to 100 SARS-CoV-2 cases per day due to the high contagiousness of the DELTA variant, currently circulating in the territory even before the opening of borders.

Since December 24 all incoming travelers have been administered a fast antigen test, which adds to previous measures to control the disease transmission chain during this spike, plus the use of the local hospital to assist patients with COVID-19 symptoms.

The Isle of Youth has reported 771 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the virus appeared here in April 2020.