33 Deaths from Mosquito-Borne Diseases Reported in Cuba

TDT | Manama

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Cuba has confirmed in official reports that 33 people have died from mosquito-borne diseases over the past few months, adding that the outbreak has spread to at least one-third of the population.

Deputy Health Minister Carilda Peña stated that 12 people died from dengue fever and 21 from chikungunya, two viral diseases that have been spreading widely across the Caribbean nation. She noted that at least 21 of the deceased were under the age of 18. Havana and Santiago, the two largest cities in Cuba, have recorded some of the highest infection rates in recent weeks.

The symptoms of chikungunya include severe headache, rash, and debilitating joint pain that can persist for months after infection, causing long-term disability, although the disease rarely results in death.

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued an urgent appeal last July calling for measures to prevent a recurrence of the chikungunya virus epidemic that swept across the world two decades ago.