First COVID-19 case in Holguín confirmed
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It is essential the border control carried out at the moment in order to detect in time travelers entering the country who could be carriers of the COVID-19, said Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez during the meeting held on Wednesday to update the prevention and control plan for the confrontation of the new coronavirus, which was attended by leaders of the Party and the Government.
As an essential principle - he said - orientation and information to travelers on the conduct to follow once they enter the national territory should be emphasized.
The Head of State stressed the need to intensify hygiene measures in all scenarios; keep research active in health areas; and implement teleworking in all work centers where conditions are created, without the staff ceasing to carry out their activities.
When presenting an update on the situation in the country, the Minister of Public Health, José Angel Portal Miranda, announced that in addition to the three cases reported on the morning of this March 18, a new patient was diagnosed, for which the number of confirmed cases in the country amounts to 11.
This is a Canadian citizen, 57 years old, who arrived on the island on March 14 from Canada, in a direct flight to the province of Holguín, and stayed at the Río de Oro Hotel, in the municipality of Rafael Freyre, of the referred province.
When he began to present symptoms of the disease, he was identified on the 16th by the institution's doctor as a suspect, and immediately admitted to the Villa El Cocal isolation center. This Wednesday, the new Coronavirus was diagnosed as positive by the molecular biology laboratory of the Provincial Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology of Santiago de Cuba. Its clinical evolution is stable and six direct contacts have been identified, all under surveillance.
After commenting on the unfortunate death of the Italian tourist, whose situation had been worsening in recent hours due to severe complications of the disease, Portal Miranda explained that the ten diagnosed patients who remain admitted to health institutions have a stable clinical evolution and their direct contacts are kept on active surveillance, with no incidents so far.
The Minister commented that 356 patients are admitted for epidemiological surveillance, 101 of them are foreigners and 255 Cubans; while 26 thousand 415 patients were under surveillance by primary health care.
The Minister commented that 356 patients are admitted for epidemiological surveillance, 101 of them are foreigners and 255 Cubans; while 26 thousand 415 patients were under surveillance by primary health care.
So far, he said, 1,449 cases of Acute Respiratory Infection have been studied, 400 of which were positive for respiratory viruses, with the predominance of Influenza A. In particular on COVID-19, there are 259 studies accumulated, of which 11 have been positive.
In the face of the growing threat of the pandemic worldwide, where the presence of the disease has already been reported in more than 146 countries and death figures of more than 7,800 people are confirmed, the Cuban Government continues to implement and perfect prevention measures and control already designed, to which others will be added taking into account the epidemiological situation faced in the country.
As an essential element, Portal Miranda highlighted the monitoring that should be given to people who enter Cuban territory, especially if they come from high-risk nations. In addition to the precautions of each traveler, whether or not they are a resident in the country, it is vital to reinforce the actions to check in the care areas, even when people do not present symptoms. / With information from Cubadebate
