Cuba dengue, chikungunya cases: Cuba is contending with a sharp rise in mosquito-borne illnesses, including dengue and chikungunya, that have swept the island in recent weeks and affected nearly a third of the population, the country’s chief epidemiologist said.
Francisco Durán described the situation as “acute” and said authorities are working intensively, as they did during COVID-19, to secure medicines and pursue vaccines to blunt the impact, news agency Reuters reported.
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Officials say Havana is among the hardest-hit areas. Last week, fumigation crews fanned out through alleyways and crowded buildings in parts of the capital. Residents welcomed the push but warned that garbage-clogged streets, standing water from broken pipes, and irregular trash collection continue to fuel mosquito breeding. “All these problems contribute to the spread of these epidemics,” said Havana resident Tania Menéndez.
Dengue has long circulated in Cuba, but an ongoing economic crisis has hampered routine vector control, such as fumigation and sanitation.
Chikungunya, once rare on the island, has expanded quickly in recent months. The Aedes mosquitoes that transmit chikungunya also spread dengue and Zika. There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, which can cause severe headaches, rashes, and joint pain that may persist for months.
Widespread shortages of food, fuel, and medicines, limited access to insect repellent, and frequent power outages that force households to keep windows and doors open have further complicated Cuba’s containment efforts.
