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The infrastructure of the Health sector is prepared to face the current epidemiological situation.

Public Health Directors in this eastern Cuban province assured that they have all the necessary resources to contain the rebound of COVID-19, which has occurred here since January 2021, although they pointed out that it will always depend on the participation of citizens, by complying with established sanitary guidelines.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- This Friday, eight new cases were detected, the majority in the municipality of Amancio. This territory is currently experiencing a dangerous rebound in the disease since in two consecutive days 12 new patients with SARS-CoV-2 were diagnosed there. The westernmost municipality had chains of up to 103 and 114 consecutive days without any of its inhabitants testing positive for the COVID-19. But since February 2, this trend has been reversed.

Gregory Pérez Héctor, provincial deputy director of Public Health, assured the cameras and microphones of the Alto y Claro radio-television program that the infrastructure of the sector is prepared to face the current epidemiological situation. This effort has been facilitated by the measures taken in recent weeks, such as the reduction in transport and non-essential services. He also said that the reestablishment in all municipalities of isolation centers for contacts of confirmed cases has been important.

On a daily basis, he stressed, from our territory between 200 and 300 samples of real-time PCR tests are sent for study, which denotes the investigations carried out. Additionally, in the 14 areas, antigen tests are being carried out on patients with respiratory symptoms. The doctor insisted that these tests can only be performed on those who have symptoms since only in this way the reliability of the result is guaranteed.

Until the statistical closure of Friday, there were 28 active cases of COVID-19: in the José Martí center for asymptomatic positives remained 19, and the rest were treated at the Fermín Valdés Domínguez military hospital, in the city of Holguín. Another 113 people were being held in isolation centers as positive patient contacts.

CLEAR INFORMATION AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

Dr. Aldo Cortés González, deputy director of the Provincial Center for Hygiene Epidemiology and Microbiology emphasized that so far the pandemic in Las Tunas has even behaved below estimates since the mathematical models presaged up to 40 new weekly cases at this time of the year. However, he noted with concern, for example, that in the last 15 days there have already been a total of 65 cases and a current incidence rate of 10.31 autochthonous cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The expert affirmed that the figures, comparatively lower than those in the rest of the Archipelago, are not due to the fact that the cases are being falsified or concealed here. The Ministry of Public Health, he certified, publishes the real statistics of what is happening because that guarantees the perception of risk of citizenship. "We are unable to hide any positive or deceased case," he insisted. Only for professional ethics, names or embarrassing situations of those involved in the chains of contagion are not revealed.
For this reason, he urged that people be totally sincere and open when indicating any contact during the epidemiological survey.

The manager admitted that delays persist in obtaining test results; although, he said, all the coordination is made so that they flow more quickly.

Cortés González made an aside to reiterate that the COVID-19 has an incubation period that can extend up to 14 days. So, he warned, a negative PCR result done on the fifth day does not justify acting irresponsibly. "We have had cases of those who have been in contact with people coming from transmission areas are attending parties, going to work, or moving on public transport," he said.

"What happens in Las Tunas, in addition to what the Health System does, will depend on the responsible attitude of our people," he concluded.