Dengue type 4 is the serotype circulating in Las Tunas, a virus that, according to Dr. Yumara Acosta García, director of the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology, "is much more complex from a clinical standpoint."

Las Tunas, Cuba.– The specialist reported that confirmed cases are sent to the Pedro Kourí Institute (IPK) for quality control and virus typing. Given this situation, health authorities have issued a call to the population: "For any fever, any symptoms such as joint or muscle pain, headache, see a doctor, at the very least, to identify cases promptly and allow us to take action to prevent further complications in this particular area," urged Dr. Acosta.

The warning is especially relevant for the most vulnerable groups: children, the elderly, people with comorbidities, and pregnant women, who constitute the target population and are at the highest risk of complications.

As part of preventive measures, the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology has launched a health initiative through state inspections of workplaces and schools.

Workplaces are considered "sentinel sites" due to the concentration of people they represent. The evaluation focuses on compliance with workplace self-sanitary inspection and the elimination of risks, especially the proper covering of water storage containers.

"The essence of what we do, from a vector control perspective, is to prevent the proliferation of the transmitting agent and, of course, to prevent our workers from becoming ill and transmitting the disease to the community," the director explained.