Cuban health minister urges for more responsibility to fight Covid-19

Havana, July 24 (RHC)-- Cuba's Public Health Minister Dr. Jose Angel Portal stressed Thursday that, although the island is advancing to the post-COVID-19 stages, the danger of the pandemic still prevails, and greater responsibility is necessary.

Speaking on the TV program Mesa Redonda, Portal explained that moving to a post-COVID-19 recovery stage does not mean that the disease has been completely overcome.

The minister indicated that use facemasks, social distancing, and handwashing are three useful measures to curb most of the SARS-CoV-2 infections and prevent new outbreaks.

Between the PCR tests in real-time and the quick test kits, there is a ratio of 39 tests per  every 1,000 Cubans. About 3,000 PCR tests are performed daily, and the results are given in 24 hours,' the health minister said.

Portal said that Cuba shows complete transparency with the data offered about the novel coronavirus, its behavior, and epidemiological indicators of the development of the disease.

About the trends of the pandemic on the island, the official stated that, according to sex, male cases predominate (50.45%) over females over (49.55%).

Eighty-seven deaths have been reported since Cuba announced its first COVID-19 cases back in March, for a 3.5% lethality rate.

Thirteen Cuban provinces and the Isle of Youth special municipality are currently in the third phase of recovery, Mayabeque province is in the second stage and Havana, the capital is still in the first stage.