The Director of the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology of Matanzas denies rumors that circulate among the population of Matanzas about new viruses related to cases of pneumonia.
A complex epidemiological situation registers the province of Matanzas as part of the third outbreak of COVID-19. The territories with the greatest damage are located to the south: Jagüey Grande and Pedro Betancourt and also in Matanzas and Cárdenas.
Specialists from the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology deny rumors about the existence of a new disease associated with COVID-19, as well as a new pneumonia, the presence of H1N1, or another rare disease. The director of the center, Dr. Fernando Acevo Figueroa, specified that cases with pneumonia of various types are reported, but none is new or different. The samples and studies carried out at the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine, in Havana, show that it is an increase in Acute Respiratory Infections, but nothing out of the ordinary.
"Pneumonia may have existed. I know of two cases from the town of Torriente who had other pathologies, they were very immunosuppressed and died with a terminal picture of pneumonia. There may be other people who have passed away, which may be a COVID-19 and were not diagnosed. One PCR, two PCR ... does not exclude COVID-19 ”.
Currently, the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine does not carry out any study in Jagüey Grande. Until now, the specialist ruled out the possibility of exhuming the bodies to extract samples.
“Neither in Jagüey nor in Torriente the IPK is doing any study. We are the ones who are taking the samples that clinicians and intensivists understand. So far we have taken 18 samples from this Province and there in the IPK they are looking for other viruses to evaluate if there is another type of pneumonia and the result has been negative. What has resulted from this analysis is that the presence of COVID-19 is evidenced. Of the 18 cases, three have been diagnosed with this disease.
The province reports an increase in cases of Acute Respiratory Infections. According to the expert, it is typical of seasonal weather. In the change from winter to summer, he pointed out, viruses are exacerbated, but you have to think first of all about COVID-19. "At the moment not even that fable that, if there is H1N1, H1N5 ... no and the IPK has analyzed 18 samples and there is nothing new, yes there is COVID-19".
Acevo Figueroa insisted that the province is experiencing an outbreak of the disease. As of the second fortnight of March, increases in positive cases are reported in Jagüey Grande. The incidence of cases is very high related to an event in the La Estancia factory and in Torriente where there are several people with positive PCR. He called on the population with a greater perception of risk and when faced with a respiratory disease to think first about the presence of COVID-19.
Matanzas, at the end of Monday, reported 60 new positive cases for COVID-19. Most of them in the municipalities of Matanzas, Cárdenas, Pedro Betancourt and Jovellanos.
Taken from: www.tvyumuri.cu