Cuba Announces New Protocols Against Covid-19 as Cases Top 1 Million

As the overall infection tally has crossed the dreadful 1 million milestones, the Cuban government has established proposed rules to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.

Cuba Announces New Protocols: As the cumulative infection tally has crossed the dreadful 1 million thresholds, the Cuban government has established new guidelines to combat the COVID-19 outbreak. The Caribbean nation reported 3,306 confirmed cases and one more virus-related death on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases and deaths to 1,002,499 and 8,341, respectively, according to the Health Ministry. There are currently 17,443 active COVID-19 cases across the country, with 41 of them requiring intensive care.

The Ministry said the Omicron variant is becoming predominant across the country as daily infections are projected to climb until the end of February. In the face of the surge, health authorities have prioritized in-home care to ease the strain on hospitals. Children under the age of two years, people with severe symptoms of the disease, and those living with underlying medical conditions will be hospitalised. In addition, people who are not fully vaccinated as well as pregnant and postpartum women will be hospitalized after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

Asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and those reporting mild symptoms must self-isolate at home for one week under regular epidemiological monitoring from the neighborhood doctors’ offices. The new protocols also include the administration of preventive medication to senior citizens and other vulnerable groups. Local governments have called for reinforcing cleaning and disinfecting procedures at schools, nursing homes, and psychiatric hospitals to reduce the chance of potential transmission.

International travellers must now present confirmation of immunisation as well as a negative polymerase chain reaction test result obtained within 72 hours of arrival. Furthermore, all passengers from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique must pay for a week’s stay at specified quarantine hotels.

Over 87 percent of the country’s population has been properly immunised using home-grown vaccinations, and over 3.5 million Cubans have gotten booster doses.

(With inputs from IANS)