(KPL/Prensa Latina) The Cuban Public Health Ministry (MINSAP) confirmed the presence of the Oropouche virus in nine of the country’s fourteen provinces, according to samples studied at the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK).

Dr. Francisco Duran, national director of Epidemiology at MINSAP, explained that through follow-up and surveillance actions of non-specific febrile syndromes, the cases were identified and have evolved favorably, with improvement of symptoms between the third and fourth day after the onset of the disease.

Dr. Duran pointed out that the clinical condition due to the disease is mild, preceded by an incubation period of five to seven days, characterized by fever, headache, and muscle and joint pains; vomiting and diarrhea are also sometimes reported.

Associated with the virus, we observed in a group of patients that a symptom similar to the initial one appears on day six, which does not leave sequelae and is not associated with the appearance of severe forms or deaths, the specialist indicated.

He stressed that there is no specific treatment, only general measures to alleviate the symptoms, and the importance of visiting the doctor when some of the above-mentioned symptoms appear.

Dr. Duran informed that there has been an increase in the incidence of suspected cases of dengue in the last few weeks, with higher rates in Isla de la Juventud special municipality, and Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Ciego de Avila, Camagüey, Holguin, and Cienfuegos provinces.

KPL