HAVANA — Cuba is facing a grim public-health crisis as the toll of mosquito-borne illnesses climbs sharply: authorities have confirmed that 33 people have died in recent months from infections with dengue and chikungunya, two viruses now spreading widely across the island.
Deputy Health Minister Carilda Peña detailed that 12 of the deaths were due to dengue, while the remaining 21 resulted from chikungunya. Tragically, at least 21 of those who died were under 18, many children among the victims.
Authorities say the epidemic has already affected roughly one-third of Cuba’s population. The surge in infections is stretching a health-care system already weakened by a severe economic crisis, which has caused critical shortages, from medicine and fuel to basic services like sanitation and clean water.
Long-standing efforts to control mosquito populations, such as fumigation, clearing trash and repairing leaking pipes, have faltered amid these shortages. As a result, the mosquito species, known carriers of both dengue and chikungunya, have proliferated, creating fertile conditions for the outbreak to deepen.
Cuba’s largest cities, such as Havana and Santiago, have seen some of the highest infection rates in recent weeks. The most recent data show 5,717 new suspected cases of chikungunya just in the last week, even as officials acknowledge many infections likely go unreported because people often do not seek medical care.
What makes the situation especially painful is that chikungunya, a disease once rare on the island, has spread with alarming speed. While it rarely kills, chikungunya can cause severe fever, rash, debilitating joint pain, and lingering disability for months after infection. Dengue, too, remains a persistent threat.
For Cuban families already grappling with shortages of food, medicine and basic services, this outbreak adds another layer of fear and hardship. Children, especially, are vulnerable. Public health officials say the epidemic corridor now spans almost the entire country, with few safe zones left.
As fumigation drives attempt to curb the spread, with workers publicly fumigating garages, alleys and residential areas, many Cubans worry whether these efforts will be enough in the face of worsening sanitation, power outages and water scarcity.
This crisis is a stark reminder, even countries well-known for strong health systems can be pushed to the edge when economic troubles combine with public-health threats. In Cuba today, mosquito bites carry a new, deadly weight. People remain hopeful but anxious, wondering if the worst has already passed, or if more heartbreak lies ahead.