Cuba keeps increasing epidemiological indicators regarding COVID-19

HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 17 (ACN) Francisco Duran Garcia, national director of epidemiology of the Cuban public health ministry, reported today that Cuba presented during the most recent week an increase in the indicators associated with the COVID-19.

At the usual Monday press conference on the behavior of the current pandemic, the specialist pointed out that 33,935 people have been admitted, of which 17,443 have been confirmed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

He commented that this last figure increased considerably regarding the previous week (9,848) due to the circulation in the country of the omicron variant, the most contagious one.

During the week of January 9 to 15, 21,783 people were diagnosed, which represents 7.4 % of positivity.

Concerning pediatric cases, Duran Garcia expressed his worry about the increase in the number of cases and warned about the sequels of the disease in these patients.

He indicated that in the most recent week there was an increase in this indicator, registering 4,390 cases (627 cases per day), indicating a higher rate than in previous weeks.

The provinces with the highest incidence of the disease during the week were Camagüey (365), Mayabeque (247), Villa Clara (239), Artemisa (224), Las Tunas (221), Pinar del Rio (219) Cienfuegos (214), Ciego de Avila (177) and Guantanamo (156), and along with the special municipality Isle of Youth, these provinces concentrated 66.2% of all the cases diagnosed during the week, the expert continued.

The number of autochthonous and imported cases grew; the country registered 21,266 autochthonous cases (10,100 more than the previous week) and 517 imported cases, a figure that decreased by 2.4% in relation to the previous week.
Imported patients were mainly from Canada, the United States, Angola, Spain, Mexico and Russia.

Regarding the omicron variant, Cuba identified 39 new cases during the week of January 9-15, for a total of 168 (134 Cubans and 34 foreigners), Duran Garcia concluded.