16 new cases of COVID-19, Cuba extends fast kit testing

Havana, March 31 (RHC)-- As of Midnight of Tuesday, Cuba reported 16 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 186 the cases diagnosed on the island.

In the daily briefing on the development of the epidemic, the head of Epidemiology at the Ministry of Public Affairs, Dr. Francisco Duran, said that  2,837 people remain admitted in isolation hospitals, among them 1107 are suspects, while  eight cases have fully recovered

Of the 171 COVID-19 positive patients still hospitalized, three are in critical and 3 in serious condition.

Two more deaths were reported, bringing to 6 the total of new coronavirus fatalities in Cuba.

A 63-year-old foreign male patient and a 65-year-old Cuban national were the deceased. Both patients had pre-existing conditions, like heart disease and diabetes.

Doctor Duran said that the approach Cuba is following to deal with the epidemic follows the one used by China, which concentrated on screening, isolating and diagnosing people, as well as blunt movement restriction and the cooperation of citizens.

The Head of Epidemiology also informed that Cuba has received 100,000 fast COVID-19 kit tests and that all passengers arriving from abroad will be immediately submitted to the test.

Duran explained that some 40 thousand molecular tests are available in the three designated labs for the diagnosis of the disease, allowing for the expansion of testing on the island.

The fast and the molecular tests, he said, have been acquired from PAHO-WHO, France and China.

On Monday, only five flights landed on the island, bringing 122 travelers and taking some 500  out of the country.