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Coronaviruses are a very wide range of infectious agents. Thus, respiratory infections caused by some of them are quite common even in Cuba, where around 15% of the clinical pictures recorded annually have their origin associated with them..

However, since the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus were reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, and given its rapid spread and significant lethality, the red flags skyrocketed and the World Health Organization (WHO), in mid-March, confirmed that COVID-19 was already a global pandemic. 

This newly discovered coronavirus, with greater virulence compared to other known viruses, has already wreaked havoc in 144 countries, with higher prevalence in nations like China, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Spain, Germany, and France. More than 180,000 confirmed cases have been recorded, resulting in 7,000-plus death.

Cuba, even though it had not reported any case of COVID-19, launched a Prevention and Control Plan for this purpose, encouraging interdepartamentality so that, not only from the Ministry of Public Health, but from all the organizations, with the active commitment of the population, the country prepares in expertise, concrete and precautionary actions to face the epidemic, should it occur. 

The epidemiological surveillance on Cuban borders was strengthened, and travelers are required to fill out the Health Declaration Card with the actual information of their accommodation address to guarantee their follow-up by the health authorities, since it is impossible to detect a patient upon arrival in the country if they do not have associated symptoms.

To date (March 18), there are seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cuba, and all were admitted at the Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute, one of the health facilities enabled to admit confirmed or suspected cases of the disease, aimed at ensuring the performance of the corresponding laboratory tests and guaranteeing their condition of isolation.

Although Cuba is not a country with transmission nor does it present a number of cases that recommends quarantine, as it has happened in other nations, no actions go in vain. The population shall understand the risk perception and, beyond the use of masks or not, standard precautions must be taken, being hand washing the most effective of all to prevent contagion. 

The disease prognosis, from the nasopharyngeal swab procedure on, can be carried out in three fully-equipped centers with state-of-the-art technology (Havana, Villa Clara and Santiago de Cuba), and the health personnel working in Primary Health Care carry out active investigations in the area and reinforces surveillance for any possible respiratory symptoms present in any citizen.

Several studies are being carried out in the United States, China, and other nations to find the cure against COVID-19, but results are not as promising as expected so far. Meanwhile, an alternative treatment is offered, based primarily on therapeutic products with antiviral action, such as the Recombinant Human INF-alpha 2, produced in a stable way by Cuba and China, thanks to the ChangHeber joint venture, in the city of Changchun, the place where it started to be used as part of the protocol set by the health authorities in the Asian nation.

Cuba is ready to supply this medicine to patients in need and even to satisfy the requests from nearly 15 countries in the region, Europe, Africa and Asia, without jeopardizing its own needs. In addition, the Cuban health authorities have reported that 21 other products of the Cuban national industry can be used. The research process of other products that could contribute to the care and treatment of these patients is accelerated.

As part of the Country Plan, training in all sectors, especially tourism, self-employment, education, and health, has remained stable, and health audits in communities provide citizens with all the tools to protect themselves and others.

Misinformation related to the virus scope has been timely countered by the Cuban media, as some trusted that high temperatures would prevent the spread of the virus and thought only senior citizens could be affected. WHO has confirmed that you can get infected in any climate, and sick individuals are, basically, those with a weak immune system and associated comorbidities. Being vigilant is paramount.