Isle of Youth urged to do more as the number of COVID-19 cases rises

NUEVA GERONA, Cuba, Jan 5 (ACN) Israel Velázquez Batista, top health authority in the Isle of Youth, called local residents to be more aware of the epidemic and to see a doctor at once if they have any symptom of the disease, currently on an upward trend in this municipality.

Dr. Velázquez pointed out that this island of 83,479 inhabitants, which for several months succeeded in keeping infection at bay, is going through the worst moment in almost two years of pandemic, marked by an incident rate of 141.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in the last two weeks—one of the highest in Cuba—with 233 positive cases so far, including 10 imported ones.

A total of 150 people with symptoms were detected today who must remain homebound for lack of hospital beds as the island strives to tackle the spread of the highly infectious Delta strain. As of December 24, the rapid—and effective—antigen test is applied to every inbound traveler.
The municipality relies on its own molecular biology laboratory for early diagnosis, but special attention is paid nevertheless to the enforcement, and compliance with, the current health protocols.

There have been 842 COVID-19 cases in the Isle of Youth since the first one was confirmed on April 4, 2020.