Cuba hasn’t reported outbreaks of the new coronavirus in any of its prisons, according to Dr. Francisco Durán, director of epidemiology of the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP).
At the daily MINSAP press conference on the status of COVID-19 on the island, Durán said that there have been no outbreaks or positive cases of patients with coronavirus in Cuban prisons.
The specialist said that this is the result of the measures implemented by the Medical Services Division of the island’s Ministry of Interior to prevent the introduction of the disease in any of its units.
“Outbreaks in prisons are difficult to control and sometimes cause high lethality,” said Durán, who also listed the actions established in prison facilities to prevent and control the virus.
Disinfection of hands at all points of access to prisons, prohibition of access to workers or visitors with feverish cases and respiratory symptoms, mandatory use of facemasks and twice-daily screenings of the prison population, are some of these measurements.
“Epidemiological surveillance is guaranteed for 15 days for inmates who enter these units from the community,” he explained.
The expert in epidemiology also indicated that the homeopathic formula (PrevengHo-vir) that the island uses as an alternative to increase the immune system of populations at risk against viral infections has been massively supplied.
Durán affirmed that isolation centers were created in penitentiary centers for patients with respiratory symptoms, and there are conditions for medical transportation to evacuate them, if necessary, to a hospital or unit.
However, he said that should outbreaks of the coronavirus occur, any of those establishments could be declared quarantined.
Coronavirus: Cuba with 1,235 positive cases and today’s reported 3 deaths bring the figure to 43
In the daily report on the situation of COVID-19 on the island, MINSAP reported that 46 new positive cases of patients infected with the coronavirus were registered this Wednesday, bringing the total number to 1,235.
The death toll from the disease reached 43, after the deaths of three persons in the past 24 hours.
Here you can find the most current data and how the coronavirus curve is evolving in Cuba.