Cuba dengue & chikungunya deaths: Cuba has confirmed that 33 people have died in recent months from mosquito-borne diseases amid an epidemic that officials say has affected at least one-third of the population.
Deputy Health Minister Carilda Peña said 12 people had died from dengue and 21 from chikungunya, the two viruses currently circulating widely across the country. At least 21 of the deaths were in people under 18, she said. Peña did not specify the exact time period over which the deaths occurred.
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The outbreak adds further strain to Cuba’s health system, which is already under pressure from a prolonged economic crisis and shortages of food, fuel and medicines.
Dengue fever has been a recurring problem in Cuba for many years, but the situation has worsened as limited resources have made it harder for authorities to fumigate, clear rubbish and repair leaking pipes, all measures that help reduce mosquito breeding sites. Chikungunya, previously uncommon on the island, has also spread rapidly in recent months.
Both dengue and chikungunya are transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes, which can also carry the Zika virus. There is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya. The disease typically causes high fever, severe joint pain, headaches and rashes, and joint symptoms can persist for months, leading to long-term discomfort and disability, though deaths are rare.
Havana and Santiago de Cuba, the country’s two largest cities, have reported some of the highest infection rates in recent weeks. Peña said 5,717 new chikungunya cases were recorded in the latest week alone, but officials believe the true number is higher because many people do not seek medical care or formally report their illness.
In July, the World Health Organization issued a call for urgent action to prevent a repeat of the large chikungunya epidemic that spread worldwide about two decades ago, as new outbreaks linked to the Indian Ocean region have again reached parts of Europe and the Americas.