Cuba nears COVID-19 victory with no new deaths for 9 consecutive days

While coronavirus continues to rage throughout the Americas, Cuba, the Caribbean island nation, nears declaring COVID-19 victory. According to an international media report, the nation took a rigorous approach to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Currently, two-thirds of the island is reportedly virus-free and the island has also been recording less than 10 cases per day. 

June 8 was reportedly the ninth consecutive day with no deaths from COVID-19. While speaking to an international media outlet, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that in the coming weekend the country will shortly be closing in on the tail end of the pandemic and entering the phase of recovery from the deadly disease. As per the report, the Caribbean island currently has nearly 2,200 confirmed COVID-19 case and the deadly virus has claimed nearly 83 deaths in the region. 

READ: Cuban Medical Personnel Return From Italy

With little over 2,000 cases, the nation has managed to curb the spread of the virus. Cuba reportedly closed its borders and schools at the start of the outbreak. The officials also urged the Cubans to practice social distancing, though that was complicated by large queues outside shops amid growing scarcity. The Caribbean island also swiftly made face masks obligatory and even quarantines large numbers of people rather than asking them to stay home, like several other countries. 

READ: Wall Graffiti In Cuba Depict Anguish And Hope Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Prison sentence or fine for disobeying rules 

Furthermore, with stringent measures, disobeying the quarantine measures also carried a fine or even a prison sentence. According to reports, the officials sent tens of thousands of family doctors, nurses and medical students to homes nationwide daily to conduct screenings, underscoring a strength of the healthcare system, even as tight resources in recent decades have seen hospitals fall into disrepair and more frequent medicine shortages. According to Johns Hopkins University tally, Cuba’s death rate stands at 0.73 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is slightly above Costa Rica’s 0.20 per 100,000 but far below Brazil’s 17.4. 

(Image: AP) 

READ: Cuba: US Relations With Havana Sank To A New Low

READ: Cuba Highlights Campaign Against Hoarders During Pandemic