Havana, Jun 20.- Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and health disasters related to weather or other events threaten Cuba and the world, Manuel Santin, an official of the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) said today.Cuba has a well organized quick response system, and the agencies and institutions are prepared to cope with emergency situations, said Minsap’s national director of epidemiology at the 9th International Congress on Disasters, which ended here today.
The integrated surveillance system is able to timely detect the movement of pathogens, such as chikungunya disease, a condition known in Africa from about three decades ago, but circulating in the region a few months ago.
In this regard, Santín told Prensa Latina that the country is ready to take care of the population that may be affected by this disease transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes because there are diagnostic means and trained personnel.
He explained that Chikungunya is an illness caused by a virus that spreads through mosquito bites. The most common symptoms of chikungunya are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash.
He noted that there are other risk scenarios, for example Ebola outbreaks are reported in several African countries, and given the constant arrival of travelers, increased tourism and international trade, as well as the permanence of cooperation missions, among other factors, surveillance must be maintained. (Prensa Latina).
