Cuba reports the first three cases of coronavirus on the island
Cuban official media reported Wednesday night that three Italian tourists are the first confirmed cases of the coronavirus on the island.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Health, the tourists arrived in Cuba on March 9 and were staying at a hostel in Trinidad, a city east of Havana. A fourth Italian traveler was tested but the results were negative.
They were all in isolation at the Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute in Havana, where the tests were carried out.
The Ministry said that the three patients were recovering favorably. Seven Cubans identified “as contacts” are being watched at a hospital in the Sancti Spiritus province, but had shown no symptoms.
The Italians affected by the coronavirus arrived in the country through the Havana airport.
This week, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel had reviewed the country’s plan to prevent and treat the disease, and state media were telling Cubans to wash their hands.
But people on the island wonder how, since essential hygiene products like soap are scarce. State media have also acknowledged that there is a shortage of medications. However, the Ministry said the country was prepared to deal with the coronavirus threat with 3,000 hospital beds in hospitals and 100 beds in intensive care units.
On Tuesday, health authorities had said that so far, 30 travelers had been admitted at the Tropical Medicine Institute and that they had tested 18 for coronavirus, all negative.
The government has not announced travel restrictions.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, a global pandemic. In Latin America, there are more than 160 cases registered in at least 12 countries, and two people have died.
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This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 10:20 PM.