The Ernesto Guevara de la Serna hospital, in Las Tunas, has already closed five of the six transmission sources that were detected in the facility, and which have generated a total of 26 positive cases for COVID-19 - among workers and patients.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- According to Dr. Henry López Jiménez, director of the largest health facility in this eastern province, the still-active outbreak is located in the Nephrology service. “From a confirmed worker on May 1, six positive cases were diagnosed.

"When the epidemiological survey was carried out, two cases with different possible sources of infection were identified, which led to the carrying out of a population study in the service; there are already a total of 13 confirmed, eight patients and five workers."

The manager explained that measures such as the admission of all patients have been adopted to determine the magnitude of the situation. The PCR study was extended to relatives and taxi drivers who transport them from their homes to the institution.

Not only "Nephrology" is reorganized in the center, but all its spaces too, since this focus constitutes the alert that if biosafety measures are not extreme, the virus can penetrate other services and complicate the epidemiological panorama in the province.

López Jiménez insisted that the population should first go to the community health area to reduce the influx to the hospital with respiratory symptoms. Those who do so will have to go to the consultation set up for that purpose in the center, and thus avoid mixing with other patients and healthy people.

Companions are not allowed, except for clearly defined exceptions, and they must not have respiratory manifestations or be contacts of positive people or travelers. Nor should there be a lack of control measures on the use of individual protection means and compliance with biosafety regulations.

Elective surgeries will continue with priority for emergencies, trauma, and cancer. A total of 16 consultations will be transferred to the community, specifically to the Guillermo Tejas and Gustavo Aldereguía polyclinics, and to an educational center.

"What we want is to prevent our main health institution from being involved in a transmission event," he concluded.