Government underreporting cases of zika, say doctors

Government underreporting cases of zika, say doctors
DDC | La Habana | 16 de Enero de 2017 - 14:52 CET.

Four doctors at the general teaching hospitals in Lawton and 30 de
noviembre, in the municipality of 10 de octubre, and at the Abel
Santamaría and Héroes de Girón medical facilities in El Cerro, told
DIARIO DE CUBA that there are more cases of zika in Havana that those
than the Government is officially announcing.

A lab technician at the Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras confirmed this
observation.

All the professionals asked that their names not be disclosed, due to
their fears of retaliation. They said that they had strict orders from
the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) to not offer information to any
media outlets, in order to "disturb" the population.

They also declined to cite figures, and did not clarify whether they
have received instructions to cover up cases of zika under diagnoses of
other diseases, as citizens from Cerro and Lawton suspect.

"They are diagnosing other diseases to keep from recognizing that it is
really zika, because the number of those infected is high," said a
resident in the former municipality.

Fumigators from Arroyo Naranjo, Cerro, La Habana Vieja (Old Havana) and
Centro Habana also expressed concern, mainly regarding the situation in
Lawton and El Cerro, but said they had received no orders to increase
fumigation.

Some residents in La Habana Vieja and Centro Habana believed that the
purported concealment was related to the rise of tourism.

Both doctors and citizens indicated that there has been a decrease in
preventive fumigation, which they considered dangerous, considering the
regular overflows of waste and both potable and wastewater.

"In no case should fumigation take place after outbreaks are reported,
but always in a preventive way," a doctor said.

Source: Government underreporting cases of zika, say doctors | Diario de
Cuba - http://www.diariodecuba.com/cuba/1484574751_28173.html