Cuba

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blindpig
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Thu Apr 02, 2020 2:29 pm

Ministry of Public Health reports a total of 212 cases of COVID-19 and 12 patients who have recovered
The March 31 report indicates that 26 new cases were confirmed positive, among 444 patients tested during the previous 24 hours, including 25 Cuban citizens and one from abroad, for a total of 212

Author: Digital news staff | informacion@granma.cu

april 1, 2020 13:04:50

The Ministry’s report, closed at midnight March 31, indicated that 26 new cases were confirmed positive, among 444 patients tested during the previous 24 hours, including 25 Cubans and one Spanish citizen, for a total of 212 in the country, since March 11.

Of the 25 Cubans, eight have a source of infection abroad: the United States and Mexico (3 each), Chile and Spain, (one each), while 10 were contacts of confirmed cases and seven of travelers from abroad.

Of the 212 patients diagnosed with the disease, 188 are in stable condition, while six deaths, one evacuated and 12 recovered patients were reported, including a 94-year-old Cuban woman. Four patients were reported to be in a critical condition and one serious.

A total of 2,742 patients are hospitalized, including confirmed and suspected cases, while another 26,278 persons are being monitored in their homes by primary health care teams.

Beginning across the country today, April 1, specific groups of persons are being tested for the virus, including all contacts and individuals exhibiting symptoms of acute respiratory infection, among others.

A rapid, reliable test, which can identify a positive case of COVID-19 within 15 to 30 minutes, will be administered to those in isolation; all travelers from abroad; all who arrived in Cuba March 17-23, who are not in isolation since this had not been established as obligatory, at that time; all persons with acute respiratory infections; and older adults in nursing homes.

During the Ministry’s April 1 press conference, Dr. Durán explained that the rapid test can detect persons who may have the virus at a very early stage and is more cost-effective than the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Those who test positive with the rapid test will be confirmed with the PCR, and those who test negative will remain under observation for up to 14 days.

It was also reported that in the community of Consolación del Sur, in the province of Pinar del Río, five more persons were identified with Covid-19, infected by a previously reported case involving a visitor from abroad. This indicates that internal infection exists within the community, and the decision was made to quarantine the area, limiting movement and instructing the population to stay home. Only essential services remain in operation, while authorities ensure that basic needs are met. The measure remains in place for up to 14 days after the last case is identified to reduce the risk of further infection.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-01/min ... -recovered
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Sun Apr 05, 2020 1:57 pm

At the people’s order
Commitment and professionalism characterize efforts at Dr. Joaquin Castillo Duany Military Hospital in the battle against COVID-19

Author: Eduardo Palomares | informacion@granmai.cu

april 1, 2020 11:04:32

Image
Photo: Eduardo Palomares
SANTIAGO DE CUBA.— Our people feel especially secure knowing that, among the health care centers confronting the new coronavirus, are institutions affiliated with the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), including the Dr. Joaquin Castillo Duany Military Hospital, which, since its doors opened 58 years ago, inaugurated by the then Comandante Raul Castro Ruz, serves military and civilian patients with the same dedication.

“By decision of the country's leadership,” explains the hospital’s director, Lieutenant Colonel Doctor Abel Poulot Mendoza, "Today there is only one mission: to serve our people, by providing isolation, diagnosis and treatment for suspected and confirmed Covid-19 patients, in the region that includes the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo.”

“Such a sensitive task," he points out, "implies, more than ever, that we show, nationally and internationally, the high level of professionalism, science and humanism that characterize our hospital, and to do so, we have all conditions in place for admission and medical assistance of Cuban and foreign patients, in addition to specialized equipment and logistics in general.”

NOT A SINGLE GLITCH

Amidst impeccable cleanliness and strict order, the facility's wards hold 180 beds, of which 74 are designated for patients with suspicious respiratory symptoms, and persons who have recently traveled abroad or had sustained contact with travelers. Additionally, the hospital has intensive care facilities available for up to 13 patients.

Three beds are reserved for pregnant women in the emergency area, and anticipating possible births, cribs and an incubator are available. A similar number of beds have been set aside for pediatrics, and two for patients with chronic renal failure who could require hemodialysis.

The head of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Major Dr. Jacno Ferrer Castro, who attended the national coronavirus preparatory course in Havana, said that the hospital has developed a diagnostic and therapeutic protocol to guide the work of doctors, nurses, epidemiologists, clinical and microbiological laboratories in confronting the disease.

With respect to technical support, he emphasized that the ICU is fully equipped with mechanical ventilators, infusion pumps, perfusion syringes and other medical devices and supplies to care for patients in critical condition, none of which has been used to date, since far from evolving toward serious condition, all cases have responded well to treatment and have exhibited what are described as mild symptoms.

For her part, Dr. Mislay Rodriguez Garcia, deputy director of teaching, noted that among the institution’s human resources are many PhDs in Medical Sciences, specialists, MSc professionals with significant teaching and research experience, who were added to the staff in certain specialties by Public Health authorities, given the health emergency.

The three specialists at the hospital who participated in the national course for the prevention and control of Covid-19, held at the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) in Havana, first offered training to hospital staff and then to personnel at medical posts providing primary care for Revolutionary Armed Forces units.

The fundamental content of this training was meant for clinical personnel on the front lines in this battle, nursing staff and those in labs and service departments, responsible for diagnosis of the disease, the taking of samples and ensuring compliance with security norms.

A DOSE OF LOVE AND COMMITMENT

Valuing the established premises of this demanding mission, Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Poulot Mendoza recalled that staff members were asked to express their voluntary disposition to assume the task, and everyone stepped forward, reflecting the Revolutionary Armed Forces commitment to our people, and support of the country’s leadership. It was not easy, he noted, to convince the few who, for health reasons, could not participate.

Three brigades were organized, with a majority female presence and including all medical and logistic personnel required. Each group is on duty for 14 days, without leaving the hospital, and once relieved will spend the next two weeks in quarantine, at a designated site. After that, brigade members conduct epidemiological surveillance in the community, staying at home for another 14 days, before restarting the work cycle.

“The mission is not easy," stated Eneida Herrera Vega, a university trained civilian nurse, working in the intensive care unit, "I left my daughters, aged 13 and 17, and my 83-year-old mother, at home, but we chose this profession, indispensable to the population’s health, and we cannot betray the confidence shown in us by the FAR and the country’s leadership.”

Agreeing with her are nurse Yumileidys Antomachí Montes who thinks of her four-year-old son, along with clinical lab technicians Valentina Landuet Zapata and Yakelín Machado Millán who miss the warmth of their families, but as the head of the nursing group, Yasmany Valdés Betancourt, insists, “This is a commitment to the country and to humanity.”

A tour of “El Militar,” as the people of Santiago call the hospital, clearly reflects that far from the commotion that some might imagine, given the situation, reigning here are serenity and confidence, both in patients and staff, clearly a result of the ample dose of sensitivity and love the group offers to successfully complete the mission.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-01/at- ... ples-order

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News from a community in quarantine
The Camilo Cienfuegos community in the municipality of Consolación del Sur, is the second in Cuba to report local transmission of COVID-19

Author: Ronald Suárez Rivas | internet@granma.cu

april 2, 2020 12:04:43

Image
Photo: Granma
Pinar del Río – Just like the rest of Cuba, residents of the Camilo Cienfuegos community go out onto their balconies at nine o'clock every night, to applaud heath care workers fighting COVID-19.

This simple tribute to those who care for our people and risk their lives in other latitudes - wherever they are requested, given the confidence Cuban health professionals inspire worldwide - is the only time they can see each other, or at least hear each other, in this small town in Pinar del Rio, which was placed in quarantine March 31.

No one enters, no one leaves. Or better said, almost no one, because to ensure basic services for the population, the arrival of some vehicles delivering food or supplies is absolutely necessary.

Toward this end, Manuel Carmona, president of the Canal Zone Defense Council - where Camilo Cienfuegos is located- explains that a single access point has been established, on the road that connects the settlement with the highway, where vehicles are fumigated and measures to protect drivers are taken.

The Camilo Cienfuegos community in the municipality of Consolación del Sur, is the second in Cuba to report local transmission of COVID-19, with five cases of the disease confirmed, at the time the decision was made to quarantine the area.

At that time, the Provincial Defense Council, established restrictive isolation measures and activated the Zone Defense Council.

According to public health authorities, the outbreak began after a couple arrived from Cancún, Mexico, and, within a few days, began to exhibit symptoms indicative of the new coronavirus.

Among actions to prevent further infections of COVID-19, defined as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the majority of persons who came in contact with the first two patients were admitted to isolation centers, to be closely monitored, but it is clear that others may have unknowingly been exposed to the virus, since COVID-19 is highly contagious.

Aware of this reality, inhabitants of the community have complied fully with the restrictive measures.

Emilio Crespo, the Zone Defense Council’s president who lives in Building 10, reported that residents have supported the decision, because they know the goal is to protect their health.

"Perception of the risk has been growing, based on all the information broadcast in the media," he added.

Crespo explained that in order to ensure basic services during the contingency, medical attention has been reinforced in the two clinics, and screening for respiratory symptoms expanded, while sales of food and other essential items continue, and cafeterias are offering take-out service.

To avoid crowding, he added, several initiatives have been taken, including distribution of the basic subsidized food basket, for example, which was organized by building, with one wing at a time, then another, and so on.

"Other products are sold at retail outlets with the support of activists from Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, who help organize lines."

Elderly residents who receive assistance from the Family Care System (FCS) have their food delivered to their homes, so they do not have to go out, Crepso added.

A brigade of residents has temporarily assumed fumigation previously carried out by sanitation workers, to avoid the need for anyone else to enter the settlement.

As in every rural town, many community members work in agriculture. Faced with this reality, alternatives have been sought.

"People from nearby areas are replacing the community's people at the dairy, to maintain production," Crespo reported.

On the other end of the phone, like all interviewees quoted in this story, he described the work of authorities as positive and says that the people understand and help, because they know COVID-19 can be deadly.

Yanet Hernández, a physical education teacher at the local primary school, agrees and has been supporting prevention work, since classes were canceled.

"People here have been very disciplined in following the doctors’ instructions, and we are very grateful for what is being done to fight the disease.”

Yanet has two daughters and knows how much work is involved keeping the young ones at home for so many days, but given the danger posed by the new coronavirus, she agrees there is no other option.

"You don't see children on the street here. We make sure they don’t come down from the apartments," she added.

As with every rule, strict social distancing within the small settlement of some 1,400 inhabitants has an exception - evident every night at nine o'clock, when boisterous applause erupts from the balconies of its 13 buildings, celebrating the lives and dedication of those waging the battle against this virus.

In Context

-According to established protocols, restrictive measures of isolation of a given area are maintained until the outbreak is contained.

-An outbreak is considered contained 15 days after the last confirmed case.

-In the community of Camilo Cienfuegos, the last patient testing positive for the new coronavirus was identified March 25, meaning that the quarantine will be maintained until at least April 9.

-The first event of local transmission of COVID-19 in the country took place in the province of Matanzas, involving a hotel staff member in Varadero, whose source of infection was a group of Italian tourists.

-Army General Raúl Castro Ruz and President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, recently called for activation of Provincial Defense Councils, in reduced composition, to support the response to COVID-19, in addition to Municipal Defense Councils, as needed.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-02/new ... quarantine
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Fri Apr 17, 2020 11:10 am

Cuba’s Revolutionary Armed Forces vs COVID-19: The people who save the people
Members of the Special Troops Regiment in Havana contribute to implementation of measures adopted to contain the epidemic

Author: Gladys Leydis Ramos López | internet@granma.cu

april 14, 2020 10:04:47


Photo: José Manuel Correa
The face mask prevents me from seeing her face clearly, but I don't really need to. As she speaks, the gleam in her eyes denotes the tranquility of someone who places her duty above all else, and her words confirm this.

"I’m from Guantanamo. Although I'm far from my three-year-old daughter at the moment, I continue my preventative work to ensure that everyone who must necessarily walk the streets is abiding by measures to combat the new coronavirus," said Second Lieutenant Maviannis Viquillón Fajardo, a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) Prevention Brigade in Havana.

Young people like Maviannis complete a circuit through the city several times a day, along with members of Special Troops Regiment in the Havana military region, with the mission of contributing to the implementation of measures adopted to contain the COVID-19 epidemic.

Capital city resident Yosumi Plana Trenche, who witnessed the work of the FAR members, stressed the importance of the work of the prevention teams raising the level of awareness among those who, like him, must necessarily leave the safety of their homes and go out onto the streets.

His words of gratitude were repeated by others interviewed, who recognized the positive impact of these and other preventive actions being taken by the Cuban government to combat the deadly virus and protect of the population.

In this regard, Colonel Daniel Sagó Rivera, the brigade’s chief of staff, explained that this joint work consists of street surveillance and patrol services, with a view toward preventing the presence of children and older adults on the streets, reminding pedestrians that wearing a face mask is obligatory, as is maintaining a two-meter distance from others in queues at stores.

The importance of their work was evident in the municipality of Plaza de la Revolución, where crowds of people continue shop, some without face masks. These soldiers and officers were busy reminding them of the danger of the disease, attempting to convince them to comply with emergency regulations through persuasion and dialogue.

"The success of these measures lies not only in the responsibility of the authorities to enforce them, although it contributes significantly to that effort. Our work only ends when the population becomes truly aware of the risk this new coronavirus poses to their health and that of their families," the officer insisted.

Colonel Sagó also noted the confidence that the country's leadership has placed in these young soldiers, most of whom are completing their active military service.

"We ask the population to have confidence in them, because right now they are the protagonists of these efforts and are committed to doing the job well. They understand the necessity of conversing with people respectfully, and reminding them that that the measures safeguard us all."

A face that exemplifies Sagó's argument is that of Corporal Reyder Rodríguez Huerta, who, at only 19 years of age, feels prepared to assume such an important mission. He has the training, which he has received daily during his military service; the support of his family; and the desire to be useful to his country.

Like Maviannis Viquillón, Rodríguez insisted that this is the most important mission now. Going out onto the streets - persuading the capital’s people to take the necessary care in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic - has become his way of serving the country, without expecting any recognition.

The work being carried out by the FAR’s special prevention troops led by young people like Reyder Rodríguez and Maviannis Viquillón, is underway across the entire nation, with the objective of preserving the well-being of all.

Image
Photo: José Manuel Correa

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-14/cub ... the-people

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Cuba shares what it has
Another Cuban medical brigade has arrived in Italy, this time in Turin, with 21 doctors, 16 nurses and a logistics coordinator, to save lives without asking anything in return, because solidarity has no price

Author: Ventura de Jesús | informacion@granma.cu

april 14, 2020 10:04:26

Image
The Cuban medical brigade’s arrival in Turin. Photo: Heidy Villuendas

Another Cuban medical brigade has arrived in Italy, this time in Turin, with 21 doctors, 16 nurses and a logistics coordinator, joining the first brigade in Lombardy, the epicenter of the epidemic in the country, to save lives without asking anything in return, because solidarity has no price.

“We share medical care, life, with other peoples,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla tweeted yesterday, recognizing the admirable gesture of these professionals, committed to their own people, but without forgetting others, maintaining humanism as the foundation of their work.

Since their arrival in Turin, the brigade has received countless expressions of gratitude from residents in the region, in the north of the country.

An undeniable reality exposes the slanders of U.S. imperialism, attempting to discredit Cuba’s international medical collaboration. We have nine doctors for every thousand inhabitants, an almost exclusive luxury, and as if that were not enough, in the coming month of July 9,000 more will graduate. We have 84,000 nurses, and 34,000 students are studying nursing and health technology, to serve our population. This is a strength we share.

While the blockade is killing human beings, Cuba is saving lives. There are currently 20 Henry Reeve brigades (425 doctors, 722 nurses, 50 technicians), fighting for the lives of those with COVID-19 around the world.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-14/cub ... hat-it-has

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BioCubaFarma in the COVID-19 battle
To learn about progress being made in scientific research to identify new products to treat COVID-19, Granma interviews Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, president of BioCubaFarma Enterprise Group

Author: Orfilio Peláez | informacion@granmai.cu

april 15, 2020 10:04:11

Image
Photo: Ricardo López Hevia

To learn about progress being made in scientific research to identify new products to treat COVID-19, Granma interviews Dr. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, president of the BioCubaFarma Enterprise Group:

-What has the Cuban biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry been doing to confront COVID-19?

-Our Enterprise Group has a specific plan with four fundamental components which are

*Supply medicines included in the COVID-19treatment protocol established by the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap).

*Research and development to provide new products and knowledge to combat this virus

*Cooperation with other countries in supplying drugs to fight the pandemic

*Take steps internally within our companies to protect workers and guarantee operations under current circumstances

-How many products does BioCubaFarma currently provide for Cuba’s COVID-19 treatment protocol?

-At the beginning, 22 medicines were identified, several anti-virals, primarily Interferon, and an important group of drugs for hospital use with patients in different phases, including those in serious and critical condition. We currently have stocks of these for thousands of patients and continue to expand production capacity.

BioCubaFarma companies have added production of face masks and sanitizing products such as medicinal soaps, hypochlorite solution, hydroalcoholic solutions, etc.

Likewise, based on the capacity of our equipment and device plants, in collaboration with other companies in the country and self-employed workers, we are working on the repair of equipment much-needed to confront the pandemic, including ventilators, while we are also manufacturing individual protective wear, mainly masks with filters, visors, goggles and suits."

-What are the most significant scientific advances?

-We initially created a BioCubaFarma working group and activated our Scientific Council commissions, to focus on confronting the epidemic. One of the ongoing tasks has been the search for information, the study of the characteristics of the virus and the behavior of the pandemic in general.

Information processing has allowed us, in a relatively short period of time, to make proposals for the use of drugs and their incorporation into the treatment protocol, or for their initial clinical evaluation.

Today we know that once infection with sars-CoV-2 has occurred, a patient’s condition can take two different paths: Eighty percent of those infected experience a mild case of the disease or are asymptomatic; 20% develop complications and serious or critical conditions. Unfortunately, the average fatality rate globally is above 5% and in some countries exceeds 10%.

The difference between first group and the second is mainly in the status of the infected person’s immune system. Severe cases are known to show 60 times the viral load of mild cases. This occurs because people with weak immune systems do not respond immediately to infection and this virus, which has a high capacity for reproduction, rapidly reaching high levels of copies.

Several risk groups, which all tend to have weak immune systems, have been identified and are more vulnerable to complications when infected with the new coronavirus.

These risk groups include adults over 60 years old, persons with immunosuppressive diseases, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, etc.

In view of this scenario, we are focused on developing medications to strengthen the immune systems of vulnerable patients, drugs with antiviral effect and those to prevent deaths among serious and critical patients.

During the last few weeks, Biomodulin t and Transfer Factor, two drugs that strengthen the immune system, have been included in the COVID-19 protocol. A variant of interferon is also being produced for nasal administration, which will be used as a preventive.

On the other hand, two broad-spectrum vaccines are being evaluated to stimulate the innate immune system. They are new types of vaccines that we have been working on, precisely to ''train'' the immune systems of those who are susceptible to viral infections.

Such products allow the body to be prepared to develop a more effective immune response once infected. These vaccines could soon be incorporated into the protocol for combating COVID-19.

-What is being done to prevent the deaths of critically or seriously ill patients?

-As I mentioned earlier, patients in serious condition may develop a viral load 60 times higher than those with a mild case of the disease. This high viral load produces a response in the organism, which leads to what is called a "cytokine storm," causing a process of hyperinflation that aggravates the patient’s condition.

Based on this information, we have studied in detail the molecular mechanisms and have identified drugs with the capacity to stop this ''cytokine storm'', which can cause the death of patients in a short period of time.

Similarly, we proposed two medications to the Minsap expert group for use with serious and critical patients. After a rigorous analysis, their evaluation was approved in a controlled manner. It should be noted that these drugs have been certified pharmacologically as safety and effective in treating other diseases under study.

Thus far, these drugs have been used in several patients with COVID-19 and we are beginning to see encouraging results, although of course we need to wait for more evidence to determine that the products are having the desired effect and saving lives.

-I have read news reports stating that interferon has not been clinically proven as effective against COVID-19?

-None of the products used worldwide today in the treatment of COVID-19 have any clinical evidence demonstrated in a controlled study. There has not been enough time to conduct clinical trials with all the necessary rigor to evaluate the efficacy of any specific drug in this pandemic.

A large number of drugs have been proposed and approved by regulatory authorities in countries around the world. We are doing the same. For example, each proposal from our scientists is analyzed by the BioCubaFarma working group and then presented to a group of experts at Minsap - including several from Cecmed and the Coordinating Center for Clinical Studies (Cencec) - where they may approved.

We have established special mechanisms for the rapid evaluation and approval of the protocols, while always maintaining a high level of rigor.

In the case of Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 2b, produced in our country, it is included in the COVID-19 treatment protocol, along with other chemical antivirals. Interferon helps the body fight the virus by activating the immune system and mechanisms that inhibit viral replication.

We know that since the beginning of the epidemic in China, Interferon was incorporated into the treatment protocol. Based on results obtained, this drug was recommended by expert consensus and became part of the therapeutic guidelines that were approved, not only in China, but also in other countries.

In the particular case of Cuba, the use of this drug in the COVID-19 epidemic has shown very positive results in terms of preventing patients from evolving toward serious condition.

-Are you working on specific preventive vaccines for this virus?

-The number of person infected who remain asymptomatic has not been documented in the specialized literature yet. These patients are one of the fundamental causes of the epidemic’s rapid expansion, hence the importance of active research to identify and isolate these individuals.

Today, what is needed in continuing to live this epidemic, containing transmissions in order to manage the situation until a specific preventive vaccine is developed. Reports indicate that work is underway on 60 vaccine candidates worldwide and human trials have begun for two.

We are focused on developing specific preventive vaccines for this virus, as well. We have designed four candidates and are working quickly to begin testing them in animal models as soon as possible.

-Are you working on the development of diagnostic systems?

-Yes, the pcr test, as it is known, (Polymerase Chain Reaction) in real time is the key to confirming cases of the virus. Rapid diagnostic systems have been developed to measure antibodies, which are produced when an infection occurs.

We are working on the development of an Elisa (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) system based on our Ultramicro-Analytic System (SUMA) technology, which should be available in the coming weeks. It is really a challenge to have the system set up and tested in such a short time, but we are working hard to achieve this.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-15/bio ... -19-battle
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:19 pm

Only socialism saves!
Careful observers of the COVID-19 tragedy agree that the root cause of the present situation is the capitalist system, the pandemic of globalized economic interests

Author: Carlos Luque | informacion@granmai.cu

april 17, 2020 09:04:43

Image
Photo: Carlos Luque

Contemplating the painful global panorama as the pandemic advances seemingly unstoppable, claiming thousands of lives; unburied corpses on the street with no space in funeral homes or private cemeteries; forcing doctors to violate their oath and choose who will die; tens of thousands of workers idle, halting the senseless commercial frenzy that never appeared so alien to us; and straining health systems to the point of collapse, it may not seem important to focus on what is happening in Cuba, a barely visible spot on the map, a small island that Hitler, they say, arrogantly erased with one stroke and dozens of U.S. administrations have attempted to drown in hunger and despair. But given the corporate media’s insistence on attempting to hide the obvious, and discount the recognition we have received, Cuba, for the sake of humanity, cannot remain silent.

Careful observers of the tragedy agree that the root cause of the present situation is not worldwide trading and consumption of wild animals, leading to zoonoses - the viral leap from nature to human beings - or overcrowding in industrial farming and the inherent overuse of antibiotics, antivirals and transgenic foods to prevent disease and increase the weight of pigs and poultry in search of greater profits. All of these are results, the last links in a chain.

The most lucid minds, committed to the facts and truth, insist that the fundamental cause is the capitalist economic system itself, the pandemic of globalized economic interests, the globalization of poverty, the greed of elites who demand austerity from the people and the usual liberalism, repeating endlessly that we have no alternative. Herein lies the explanation of the shameful implosion we are witnessing today in the richest, "model" countries of democracy. There is but one antidote to this deadly virus: rebellion and a civilizing socialist revolution.

At the same time, we are witnessing the apparent paradox that peoples and governments that have chosen to support systems and policies taking the difficult route of constructing a different economic, social and cultural model, are those which - unable to completely avoid the viral invasion given the tightly woven commercial and human fabric of our interconnected world - have taken action to combat the pandemic in a manner that differs significantly from the solutions neoliberal governments have attempted. The much-touted failure of socialism, of simply progressive, non-revolutionary governments, is collapsing today, along with lies about the mythical superiority of private property and the capacity of the market to respond to the most urgent human needs, and the most sacred of rights, the right to live.

Despite media lies that intoxicate naive readers and more astute ones, alike, Cuba has always enjoyed prestige and recognition. The strength of its moral example and capacity to resist - rooted in the ideas of our Mambi struggle for independence, of Martí and Fidel - has always prevailed over lies, aggression and material hardship. Unfortunately, and very painfully, yes, amidst such tragedy, Cuba’s image will ascend, to be seen from all points of the planet. Perhaps we need to list the reasons. Not in the spirit of foolish complacency at this dangerous time, amidst so much suffering, but because, if peoples want to rid themselves of exploiters, of murderous politicians, they must learn from the experience of those who have made the attempt and succeeded. May those who have eyes to see, see; and those who has ears to hear, hear.

When great thinkers are asked how long they prepared for the task undertaken, they reply, forever, all my life. Thus, Cuba has always armed itself with the minimum conditions necessary to implement a strategy to confront a disease such as this, allowing for such a different response, not only in advance of other countries in the region, but also with respect to nations that yesterday were the world’s colonial powers, with wealth that owes much to plunder, and are now unable to put themselves at the service of human beings, prostrated before material interests, and drowning in their own failures, to the pained, astonished amazement of the world. Cuba's advantage is systemic, of a cultural essence. The ultimate explanation lies in the nature of its way of life, its humanitarian policies, centered on human needs, life, and fundamental rights.

The speed with which our country moves from the rhythm of normal times - which, by the way, has never in more than 60 years enjoyed the normality of countries not under attack - to the effective management of emergencies, be they natural/climatic phenomena or epidemics, imported or not, is due, above all, to an institutional structure that is conceived to make a reality of an aspiration that emerged during the ancient cultural Renaissance, during the dawn of a capitalism that later betrayed it: true democracy, with human beings at the center.

Cuba’s best citizens also know how to be companions, in the etymological sense: those who eat the same bread and share material and spiritual goods in solidarity, to the degree they are able within an ocean of aggression and global inequality that forces the assumption of certain market mechanisms, the unwanted breeding ground of inequalities alien to the socialist project.

Our best sons and daughters, who show solidarity in daily life, assume sacrifice and resistance naturally, and although the inevitable diversity of different human destinies frustrates some and allows others to grow, the distinguishing characteristic of our daily functioning is solidarity with our neighbors, and with humanity. This is a profound reality only revealed in crises, usually unnoticed, invisible, in the grey of daily life.

The soulless individuals who today bury the pain they should feel for their own pettiness, and believe that only money can move Cuban doctors, are unable to assimilate that only an education of nobility sustained over time, and a social climate like Cuba’s, can generate attitudes that are not only personal, but take shape in the spirit of a nation. When our grandchildren clap their hands on balconies every night, to thank our healthcare workers, they also shout, "Long live Cuba," this is a seed that always germinates, from the innocence of the enthusiasm they see in their elders, who believe a better world is possible.

The first stone laid was literacy, reflecting Fidel's long view, and today Cuba can count on the immediate availability of skilled professionals, not only in the area of health, highly specialized and trained in responding to events of this type or similar to the one we now face.

Cuba does not suffer from the fragmentation and balkanization of the social fabric caused by the existence of opposing economic and political interests, with individuals and sectors asserting narrow self-interest in the political arena, but rather the natural existence of a diversity of human aspirations, some of which have been affected by capitalist culture now in ruins. This is what we recognize as unity, so indispensable to the majority social discipline that allows us to act as we do in the face of the pandemic, and precisely why it is attacked by our adversaries, because they know that herein lies the most solid of our principles. While elitist political cannibalism cannot be imposed in moments of crisis, unity comes through, providing the necessary social and political support to make coordinated action involving all possible.

The country's authorities’ condition as public servants is never more evident than in times like these. It is not necessary to defend our government or health leaders, unnecessarily citing their qualifications, when the facts speak for themselves. Unfortunately, today, given the voracity of the virus, we are witnessing the virulence of the capitalist system with the personification of irresponsibility, seen in the inability of its politicians to manage or alleviate the crisis.

Not all are as thick-headed and arrogant as the number one imperialist president, or as ignorant as some in the Latin American region, with their own armies stepping forward to save the system. But all fail as victims of the same monster they attempt to manage, and the privatized health care approach they defend prevents them from taking advantage of any political capital, lost to a reality of their own making.

Contrary to the stereotypes fabricated by the media machinery and those who reproduce them - either ignorantly or in a mercenary search for a few dollars - Cuba today offers a beacon of light and hope, and also an objective example of how necessary socialism is, which can be constructed in any corner of the planet. Peoples, who matter, are receiving, with our doctors, a message, a silent but effective statement. After bad weather, the seed bears fruit.

The collapse of what we once called the socialist world eroded, to a large extent, the hopes of those who, in good faith, were waiting for a possible alternative. In the field of ideas, an aversion to communist ideals emerged, used to legitimize the denial of alternatives and ignore the fact that another world is possible.

We are witnessing the reality that it will always be possible - and highly probable - that the same or worse than this pandemic will occur, if we do not rise up, once and for all, in a worldwide struggle for the only effective alternative, which, whether it be called socialism, or whatever younger generations may call it, must be decidedly anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist and anti-neoliberal. There is no possibility of capitalism with a human face. The pain and bitterness humanity is facing today is revealing the true face of Capital and the reason socialism exists.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-17/onl ... lism-saves
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:40 am

Cuban Doctors Arrive in Honduras to Fight COVID-19

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The medical brigade is made up of 20 health professionals including four emergency surgeons, two epidemiologists, six intensive-care nurses, and four biomedical technicians. | Photo: Honduran Presidency

Published 19 April 2020 (11 hours 1 minutes ago)

Cuba previously had a medical mission in Honduras that arrived in 1998 after it was devastated by Hurricane Mitch.

Cuban doctors and Honduran specialists studying on the island arrived at Tegucigalpa Sunday as part of Cuba’s medical missions across the world to fight the novel coronavirus.

“Right now, we’re seeing that health personnel is making us sick, health personnel who are insufficiently qualified, health personnel who definitely have to be replaced because they are fatigued,” Honduran Health Minister Alba Consuelo Flores told a news conference Thursday confirming the arrival.

The medical brigade is made up of 20 health professionals including four emergency surgeons, two epidemiologists, six intensive-care nurses, and four biomedical technicians. Also, 53 Honduran medical students, specializing in Cuba, joined the mission.

Honduras has some 4,000 medics across 33 hospitals, according to statistics from the Health Ministry. They serve a population of some 9.2 million people, 62 percent of whom live in poverty.

Cuba previously had a medical mission in Honduras that arrived in 1998 after it was devastated by Hurricane Mitch, however, the program was suspended last year when the right-wing Honduran government did not renew the agreement.

Since the outbreak began, Cuba has been at the frontline of the fight against the pandemic, sending doctors and nurses to 19 nations across the world, which include Jamaica, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Haiti, Suriname, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Italy, Andorra, Togo, St. Thomas and Prince, Angola, and Qatar.

“It just goes to the history of Cuba’s deep and long-lasting commitment to humanitarian solidarity with other countries,” Peter Kornbluh, Director of the Cuba Documentation Project at the National Security Archive at George Washington University told Democracy Now.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Cub ... -0007.html

Bolding added.
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Fri Apr 24, 2020 2:17 pm

Cuba's Medical Brigade Arrives in Cape Verde to Face COVID-19

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The internationalist health brigade "Henry Reeve" in Praia, Cape Verde, April 22, 2020. | Photo: Twitter/ @CubaMINREX

Published 24 April 2020 (1 hours 33 minutes ago)

This new solidarity brigade joins 79 Cuban aid workers who were previously in the country.


The Republic of Cape Verde Thursday received 20 Cuban health professionals who will support the African country in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first internationalist health brigade "Henry Reeve" in Cape Verde is made up of five doctors, ten nurses, and five hygiene and epidemiology specialists.

Cuba's Ambassador Rosa Olivia Rill and representatives of the Health Ministry received the Cuban collaborators at the Nelson Mandela Airport in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde.

The team will join the 79 Cuban aid workers who were previously in the South African country.

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"Without neglecting the responsibility to protect our people and despite the limitations imposed by the blockade, Cuba offers modest cooperation to other peoples, without evaluating political expediency or economic advantages. In the face of COVID-19, everyone's priority has to be to save lives."

"Conditions have already been created to receive the Cuban medical brigade. They will be accommodated according to their needs," Health Minister Arlindo do Rosario said.

Cape Verde, which has reported 68 COVID-19 patients so far, will receive a shipment of essential medical supplies, which will be delivered by the European Union.

Cuba has sent 1,218 health professionals to 21 countries on several continents to support the fight against the new coronavirus pandemic. ​​​​​​​

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/cub ... -0001.html

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New Cuban Medical Aid Brigade Arrives in St. Lucia

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Cuban medical personnel in St. Lucia, April 2020 | Photo: Embacuba Santa Lucia

Published 23 April 2020 (19 hours 25 minutes ago)

The Henry Reeve brigade members are assisting at various health institutions across the country.


Cuba’s medical brigade arrived in Saint Lucia to assist COVID-19 patients and prevent the virus from spreading. Biomedical engineers, nurses, and doctors made up the new group that reinforces Cuban medical aid on the Caribbean island.

The Henry Reeve brigade members are assisting at various health institutions across the country.​​​​​​, although most are concentrated in the Owen King General Hospital and Victoria Hospital, the latter specializes in respiratory diseases.

Orricia Denbow-Bullen, Vieux Fort major, received a group of nurses who joined the district health center. Denbow-Bullen acknowledged the humanitarian action and stated Cuban doctors will strengthen Saint Lucia's health system.

For his part, President of the Humanistic Association of Solidarity Cuba Santa Lucia, Tedburt Thobalds, referred to the longstanding relations between Cuba and Saint Lucia. The representative also praised Cuban professionals for their solidarity.

"Fully incorporated "Henry Reeve" Brigade in St. Lucia to face the Covid -19."

The Saint Lucia-Cuba Humanistic Solidarity Association released a communique in which they expressed their gratitude to Cuban doctors. The organization also condemned the U.S. blockade against Cuba and called it a hostile policy.

According to with the statement, the solidarity group also expressed its fraternity with Cuba after the "inhumane and undemocratic actions by the United States Government, amid the international community's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”

"What motivates Cuban doctors to fight against COVID-19 in different countries of the world? This is what Dr. José Luis López González, head of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Saint Lucia, tells us"

Cuba extends its solidarity aid to several nations affected by COVID-19, despite facing the outbreak of the virus in its territory. The Henry Reeve Brigade, which specializes in medical assistance in cases of disaster or emergency, has more than 1,200 professionals in 21 nations.

A total of 113 doctors, nurses and biomedical engineers made up the first group that arrived in Saint Lucia on March 27.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/new ... -0008.html

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After we overcome the virus
Will the world necessarily be better after this crisis? Will being better people spontaneously undermine the power structures responsible for the humanitarian crisis we are experiencing today?

Author: Karima Oliva Bello | informacion@granmai.cu

april 23, 2020 10:04:21

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Photo: Martirena

Many posts on social media are predicting that after the epidemiological crisis we are experiencing today is behind us, we will be better people, more supportive, we will place a higher value on life and, above all, will build a different, better world.

Nonetheless, without being pessimistic, we must question whether the world will necessarily be better after this crisis, spontaneously, just because we want it. On the contrary, in her book Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein has documented how in recent decades, on a global scale, crisis - when populations sink into fear and disorientation, economies are devastated and the ability of states to respond is overwhelmed - have been paved the way for the implementation of structural free market reforms, to the detriment of the public good. A wave of privatizations undermined the social role of the state, especially in strategic sectors like health and national defense; social spending decreased; and precarious employment conditions became the norm, with gains won by workers over many years of collective struggle eliminated.

Neoliberalism has had no more fertile ground than disaster to impose its model, the creation of never-ending wars in the Middle East, cynically orchestrated in the name of democracy, is among the clearest examples. A highly lucrative business was guaranteed, while deaths of civilians are simply considered collateral damage. In Latin America, Ecuador is a prime examples of how the vacuum left when the state abandons its social responsibility can lead to disaster, as we are witnessing today. But similar cases abound.

The crisis is systemic, there is no other way to understand it. Globalization promised that national borders would be swept aside in pursuit of economic progress and that this, in itself, would lead to social development. But, in practice, neoliberalism has produced the concentration of benefits in the hands of a very small world elite, and the socialization of all costs. The result? We see it today: the cost is being paid in lives and what continues to be the norm is the disproportionate toll paid by the most disadvantaged.

As much as neoliberal thinking seeks to convince us that everyone can be saved individually, the reality that is hidden is different: in the face of systemic crises, individual solutions are insufficient. There is nothing wrong with trying to be better people after we overcome this crisis, that we value life more, that we make better use of the time we have to be with those we love, that we re-think our relationships and say I love you more often, and begin to enjoy more what we have. All of this would be good. Any process of personal growth is necessary, but it will not undermine the power structures responsible for the humanitarian crisis we are experiencing today - which could easily be repeated. Our personal well-being, even enjoying ourselves and our most intimate human relations, will only be fully realized when we develop critical awareness of the society, culture and age in which we live, and unite with others on the road to defending, to the ultimate consequences, collective rights and the common good.

Looking beyond the purely individual is absolutely necessary. We must focus on the world and attempt to fully understand the global system that is causing the havoc we are experiencing. We cannot make concessions to capitalism at this point in history: what other system can we hold responsible for climate change, for the precarious employment conditions of millions, the death of the most vulnerable as a result of curable disease, hunger or war; the lack of drinking water, food and medicine for a large portion of the world's population; or under-funded public health systems, while at the same time millions of dollars are spent on weapons of mass destruction, because it is more profitable?

We must defend, wherever it is possible, the counter-hegemonic alternative that is the construction of socialism, the rights and guarantees that the Cuban Revolution has conquered and maintained, the value of the state’s role which socialist Cuba has again demonstrated with self-confidence, to defend, above all, the right of every person to life.

This is no small thing in the world in which we live. May our society continue to change and for the better; may revolutionary critical thinking prevail as a regular practice; may the spaces and ways of political participation continue to be perfected; and may change, criticism and participation continue to have as their ultimate objective, the defense of the common good through socialism.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-23/aft ... -the-virus

Man, them capitalists sure put one over on those naive Cubans....
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Sun Apr 26, 2020 2:33 pm

Gaining time in the COVID-19 battle
During the regular government meeting held yesterday with Public Health experts, scientists, and the government task force leading efforts to combat the new coronavirus, experts stated that the epidemic has recently evolved toward a more favorable scenario in the country, but the peak has not yet arrived

Author: Leticia Martínez Hernández | internet@granma.cu

april 24, 2020 10:04:05

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Photo: Estudios Revolución

Since the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on the island at the beginning of March, the Cuban government has prioritized the daily battle against the pandemic and holds daily meetings to review the situation and make key decisions.

This Thursday's meeting at the Palace of the Revolution was marked by three important discussions related to the COVID-19 battle, one with Public Health experts, another with scientists from various sectors, and finally with the government task force created to lead the country's efforts to combat the new coronavirus.

All three discussions focused on gaining time in prevention and control of the epidemic, in an effort to mitigate the impact of more critical stages. As of midnight April 22, a total of 1,235 cases of the virus had been confirmed and 43 deaths reported.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel began the morning with prominent intensive care specialists, pediatricians, immunologists, virologists, cardiologists, epidemiologists, and nephrologists who are among health professionals directly involved in the battle against the new coronavirus.

In discussing the protocol used in Cuba with patients, Díaz-Canel reiterated that the strategy must continue of working hard to prevent patients’ deterioration to serious or critical condition, by beginning treatment as soon as possible.

In this regard, Dr. Ileana Morales, the Ministry of Public Health’s director of Science and Technological Innovation, explained the protocol for clinical management used in Cuba, which is constantly being adapted and characterized by a comprehensive approach, preventive interventions, early action, specific procedures for each stage of the illness, as well as individual attention and management of existing morbidities.

This protocol, which has already been adjusted several times based on experience gained, includes the Cuban products Interferon Alpha 2b, Biomodulin-t, CIGB 2020 and CIGB 258, all with promising results.

Dr. Lissette López González, head of the Ministry's national pediatric group, explained that, thus far, 136 pediatric patients have been treated, including the administration of kalestra, chloroquine and interferon, all with positive results.

Also noted during the meeting was the solidarity of individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 and voluntarily donated hyperimmune plasma, to be used in treating patients in serious condition.

Cuban scientists confirmed that government measures implemented to contain the pandemic are producing results, discussing predictive models developed with the President. The experts stated that, over the last few days, Cuba has moved toward a more favorable scenario, which should be no reason to let our guard down, since the peak of the disease on the island has not yet arrived.

Specialists explained that the epidemic’s peak should arrive 77 days after the appearance of the disease, which would be the end of May.

As occurs every afternoon, the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, led a meeting of the prevention and control task force.

On this occasion, the provinces of La Habana and Villa Clara, and the Isle of Youth special municipality, the territories with the highest rates of infection per inhabitant, reported on their situation.

Havana authorities stated that measures are being reinforced in the municipality of Centro Habana, an area of high epidemiological risk, where efforts are being intensified in five neighborhoods.

In Villa Clara, differentiated attention is being paid to two new transmission events in the municipality of Camajuaní, and one in Rest Home No. 3 where 61 cases have been confirmed thus far, including 43 elderly residents and 18 workers.

The Isle of Youth, with 20 cases and one open transmission event, is also reinforcing all containment measures.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-24/gai ... -19-battle

Hmm, the Cubans are taking this scam seriously.....the Chinese too! Oh Noes! What are we to make of this ?Is it, as the ultra lefts and libertarians would have it, evidence of a very big and evil New World Order? If so we might as well fold it up, put the horses in the wagon coz it's all down hill from here. As always I am surprised when supposed internationalists dismiss or ignore what successful revolutionaries are doing and saying. Perhaps they don't think those governments revolutionary, I dunno what else could explain it.

Perhaps the only scam is how the capitalists are handling it, and that a separate issue from the actual virulence of this virus. After all, they don't care if some serfs live or die. But opportunity, that's another story. The numbers are all over the place and they all represent some 'interest' or another. Yes, gross disparities abound, under reporting of fatalities ascribed to other cause must be examined: the Chinese recently upped their fatality numbers for that cause and it seems certain that NYC will do the same in light of non-hospital deaths. This will raise the fatality rate. OTOH, until mass testing is done we got no idea how many 'asymptomatics' there are and if a bunch that will lower the fatality rate. The comparative death rate over similar periods ' will likely be the most solid number and we don't know until it's over.
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Thu Apr 30, 2020 10:22 pm

Producing more food, more quickly
With the tightening of the U.S. blockade of Cuba and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on key sectors of the economy, boosting food production is essential

Author: National news staff | informacion@granma.cu

april 29, 2020 14:04:33

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Photo: Endrys Correa Vaillant

Within the current context marked by the tightening of the U.S. blockade against Cuba and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on key sectors of the national economy, boosting food production is essential.

Presently, Cuba imports some 800,000 tons of corn and spends 550 million dollars on animal feed, an unsustainable dependency which obliges us to focus on banishing the import mentality.

For these reasons, the Second Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, José Ramón Machado Ventura, joined by Central Committee Secretariat member José Ramón Monteagudo Ruiz and Minister of Agriculture Gustavo Rodríguez Rollero, met with a reduced number of provincial and municipal leaders to review on progress made on implementing food production strategies that emerged from regional meetings held at the end of March in Holguín, Sancti Spíritus and Havana.

Regarding the province of Artemisa Machado Ventura reiterated the importance of preparing all arable land and using certified seeds. This province has several commitments, including the production of charcoal, honey and tobacco, which may not be marketable now given the international situation, but when demand reappears, income will be ensured, he noted.

Artemisa is planting corn, for use as animal feed and to boost milk production, which is currently not meeting projections.

In Mayabeque, Machado Ventura and Vice President Valdés Mesa stressed that the government has prioritized national solutions as central to the economy, and that agricultural production is key in all this work; insisting on the importance of exploiting to the maximum all material and financial resources available to the sector, including fuel, fertilizers and foreign exchange allocated.

He reiterated that among established priorities for cultivation are rice, beans, corn and plantain, as well as production of eggs and pork, while calling for taking advantage of the spring season to plant short-cycle crops, an effort in which urban, suburban and family agriculture also play an important role.

Campesinos in Matanzas are sowing more than 24,000 hectares this spring as a concrete response to present needs - mainly short-cycle crops. Advantage is being taken of cleared land, now available with the potato harvest completed, an important contribution to saving fuel.

Machado Ventura emphasized that outdated habits must be overcome, especially the tendency to import needed supplies and sign contracts for only a portion of expected production.

Carlos Luis Naranjo Suárez, the Agriculture Ministry's provincial representative, in Matanzas stressed the importance of increasing corn production, as well as improving yields for both beans and rice, as well as plantain and cassava.

Party Secretariat member José Ramón Monteagudo Ruiz praised work done in Cienfuegos to recover underutilized productive poles and incorporate new ones, while urging that more land be granted in usufruct. He stated that this process must be speeded up and the current strategy reviewed.

Some 5,000 new hectares under irrigation have been incorporated to ensure the food supply, with productive areas reactivated and others added. The Paso Bonito Cruces irrigation canal is now in full use; the Tablón factory has been revitalized to guarantee the supply of animal feed; and several agricultural projects are underway; while coffee planting in lowlands and charcoal production are advancing.

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Cuban agriculture must become the prime source of food for the population. Photo: Miguel Febles Hernández

In Villa Clara, Machado Ventura called for intensifying the preparation of acreage and prioritizing the planting of cassava, boniato and other crops to confront the pandemic, and create conditions to substitute imports.

He addressed the need to increase yields, which depends on the quality of seeds used and regular attention to plantings, with available supplies and equipment, which is no small feat, he noted.

"Agricultural development is a secure base because with it we can replace, if not 100 percent of food imports, at least a significant portion," José Ramón Machado Ventura stated in Sancti Spíritus.

The most challenging situation here is that faced by the Sur del Jíbaro Agro-industrial Enterprise, which was obliged to reduce rice planting to 700 hectares as a result of the Zaza reservoir’s low water level, but is looking to take advantage of ground water from existing wells on its property, while continuing land preparation and diversifying livestock production, as well as other crops.

In Ciego de Ávila, Machado Ventura insisted that the contracting process must be conducted correctly, going directly to the productive base, visiting farmers and insisting that every contribution is needed given the situation the country is facing.

The recently concluded potato harvest provided more than 19,500 tons to the population's diet, in a campaign with limited availability of resources, fundamentally of phytosanitary products, which required a search for alternatives. Nonetheless, the province was able to send potatoes to Guantánamo, Granma, Las Tunas, Camagüey and Havana.

In Camagüey, where only 7.5% of the arable area is irrigated, campesinos are obliged to prepare as much land as possible to take advantage of spring rains.

Dairy farmers here are under pressure since they are behind in scheduled deliveries to the industry, a deficit they hope to recover during the "peak" months of the current campaign.

"The country is making an unimaginable effort to save lives in this pandemic, and no resources are being spared. And I believe agriculture can make a significant contribution, but we must solve the many problems that have held us back," Machado Ventura stated referring to Las Tunas.

Here, he discussed the province’s plans for the spring campaign, with more than 17,400 hectares being planted. He also took interest in the planting of corn, which is now planned for 3,900 hectares, a figure that participants in the meeting are looking to increase.

Machado Ventura insisted in Holguín that the mobilization of personnel to the fields must be economically efficient, ensuring that the necessary forces participate, those capable of giving crops the attention they need.

It was reported that, to launch the spring campaign, 10,177 hectares have been sown thus far, mainly grains and root vegetables.

The province was asked to increase rice production. Any contribution is important for the country, Minister of Agriculture Gustavo Rodriguez Rollero noted.

"We must achieve truly diversified production, promote the mentality of substituting imports and promoting exports in all cooperatives and basic production units, whether they focus on sugarcane, crops or livestock," Machado Ventura stated regarding the province of Granma.

Also analyzed during the meeting here were rice and tobacco programs, as well as livestock indicators, areas in which the province makes an important contribution to state wholesalers.

Participants in this meeting agreed that exploiting all untapped potential and taking advantage of the effective experiences to reduce imports and promote exports is the best response farmers can offer to the U.S. blockade and the new coronavirus.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-29/pro ... re-quickly
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Fri May 01, 2020 1:23 pm

Cuban workers honor Lenin and convoke May Day mobilization
On Havana's Lenin Hill, a small group of trade union leaders dedicated a floral tribute to the legendary Bolshevik and convoked May Day celebrations at home and in workplaces where essential operations continue

Author: Dilbert Reyes Rodríguez | informacion@granma.cu

april 23, 2020 10:04:08

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Fidel and Raul attend inauguration of the Lenin Monument in the Havana park bearing the Russian revolutionary’s name. Photo: Jorge Oller


Reverence and mobilization - as tributes to great leaders of the historical struggles for social justice should always be - was Cuban workers' commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of universal proletarian leader Vladimir Ilich Lenin, in whose honor this year’s May Day mobilization was called.

On Havana's Lenin Hill, a small group of trade union leaders, headed by Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, Party Political Bureau member and general secretary of the Cuban Workers Federation (CTC), dedicated a floral tribute to the legendary Bolshevik, who played a key role in the Russian Revolution, the greatest lesson in the annals of history of what the emancipated working class can achieve in unity of thought and action, guided by socialist principles.

Consistent with the date and the legacy of Lenin, the CTC, in the voice of its Secretary General, reported the decision to celebrate International Workers' Day within Cuban homes, adhering to health measures adopted to combat the dangerous COVID-19 pandemic.

Guilarte de Nacimiento described as a crucial battle this confrontation with a virus that is devastating the world, and highlighted the important role of the working class in this struggle; both on the front line of the fight and "in the decisive trench" that staying at home represents today.

Under the banner of “For Cuba, United we will win,” May Day celebrations will not include the traditional marches and demonstrations throughout the country, but will take place inside homes, "So that, in the company of our families, we can incorporate all the potential that social media and information technologies offer today, and celebrate the date as it deserves," Guilarte stated.

He recalled that this May 1st will mark the 20th anniversary of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro’s historic speech on the concept of Revolution, as valid now as ever, as we confront the pandemic "with a sense of the historic moment, with audacity, intelligence and realism in the face of obstacles,” determined, as he taught us, to confront and overcome these obstacles, no matter how challenging they appear.

Guilarte emphasized our solidarity with the workers around the world suffering the impact of the crisis of the capitalist health system, and thanked trade unions and progressive forces everywhere for their support of our demand to end the genocidal U.S. blockade of Cuba.

The CTC Secretary General insisted that responsible social isolation will not prevent the creativity of Cubans from flowering to commemorate International Workers Day in homes and workplaces where essential operations continue.

TO THE MEMORY OF LENIN, AROUND THE WORLD

The 150th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, yesterday April 22, was also celebrated in other latitudes.

Members of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, led by its leader, Guennadi Ziuganov, laid flowers at the foot of the party’s founder’s mausoleum in Moscow's Red Square.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, on Twitter, noted the anniversary "of the birth of the Russian revolutionary politician and philosopher," while a special stamp collection commemorating the date was presented by Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communication, with the country’s postal company.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-23/cub ... bilization

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Cuba awaits information regarding firearm attack on our embassy in Washington
It is the obligation of states to take all appropriate measures to protect the premises of embassies against any intrusion or damage, and to avoid disturbing the peace of a mission or violating its dignity

Author: Digital news staff | informacion@granma.cu

april 30, 2020 09:04:06

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A vehicle that police believe is related to the incident remains parked outside the embassy. Photo: The Washington Post

During the dawn hours today, April 30, 2020, an unknown individual fired a gun into the Cuban Embassy in the United States. The official website of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that no staff members suffered injury, as all were safely protected, although the building was damaged.

The Cuban government has no information about the individual involved, who was detained by local authorities at the scene and is in custody, the Ministry indicated.

The Cuban diplomatic mission in Washington D.C. has a protection and security system in place, to respond to any threat against personnel or facilities.

The Cuban government is awaiting news from U.S. authorities on the investigation, including the identity of the suspect and his motivations for the aggression, as well as other circumstances surrounding the event. The State Department is aware of the event.

It is the obligation of states to take all appropriate measures to protect the premises of diplomatic missions accredited in their country against any intrusion or damage and to avoid disturbing the peace of a mission or violating its dignity, the Ministry press release concludes.

According to several press agencies, the incident began around 2:00 am, outside the embassy in northwest Washington. The metropolitan police moved to the site after neighbors reported hearing gunshots, authorities stated.

Images of the site posted on social media show a group of police outside the building after the shots were fired and investigators searching a vehicle parked there. Agents from the Metropolitan Police and the U.S. Secret Service were investigating.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-30/cub ... washington

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Epidemic could peak in Cuba next week
Raúl Guinovart Díaz, dean of the University of Havana’s Mathematics Department, states, "The forecast now indicates that approximately next week we will reach the peak, ahead of the international average. This is a reserved prognosis that will depend on the evolution of the disease over the next few days"

Author: Granma | internet@granma.cu

april 28, 2020 11:04:55

Raúl Guinovart Díaz, dean of the University of Havana’s Mathematics Department, states, "The forecast now indicates that approximately next week we will reach the peak, ahead of the international average. This is a reserved prognosis that will depend on the evolution of the disease over the next few days."

Any relaxing of social distancing measures could, however, reverse the current pattern, he noted, saying "The epidemic is vulnerable to the actions we take, but this depends on social behavior and government measures. It has been proven that we can change the course of the epidemic.”

A vaccine is seen as the ultimate solution to the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that there are 70 such projects under development around the world, while health authorities here have reported that work is underway in Cuba on four vaccine candidates. No firm projections have been made as to when one might be available.

Authorities insist, however, that there is a vaccine within each one of us: discipline and responsibility in our behavior to break the chain of contagion.

Cuba has seen weeks with more than 50% of new cases being asymptomatic, making clear the importance of social distancing, with hand-washing and the use of face-masks, since no one can recognize a carrier of the virus or a surface where it may be present.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-04-28/epi ... -next-week
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."

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blindpig
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Re: Cuba

Post by blindpig » Thu May 14, 2020 12:56 pm

U.S. includes Cuba on infamous list of countries that do not cooperate in fighting terrorism
The State Department's report to Congress came on the same day Cuba’s Foreign Minister condemned the U.S. government for its complicit silence in the face of the terrorist attack on our embassy in that nation

Author: Yisell Rodríguez Milán | informacion@granmai.cu

may 13, 2020 14:05:52

The State Department notified the U.S. Congress on May 12 that Iran, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela and Cuba were certified under Section 40A (a) of the Arms Export Control Act as "not fully cooperating" with U.S. anti-terrorism efforts in 2019.

The State Department's official website published the notification, clarifying that Cuba has now been reinstated on the infamous list from which it was removed in 2015, following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two nations under the leadership of Presidents Barack Obama and Raúl Castro.

What the announcement does not include is that the change occured – coincidentally - on the same day that Cuba’s Foreign Minister denounced the U.S. government for its complicit silence in the face of the terrorist attack on our embassy in that nation, April 30.

In a statement, issued when the U.S. last approved the inclusion of Cuba on the list in April of 2014, our Foreign Ministry stated, "The government of Cuba reiterates that our national territory has never, and will never, be used to harbor terrorists of any origin, nor to organize, finance or perpetrate acts of terrorism against any country in the world, including the United States. Likewise, it rejects and unequivocally condemns any act of terrorism, in any place, under any circumstances and for any reason whatsoever.

"It is the government of the United States that uses state terrorism as a weapon against countries that oppose its domination, uses reprehensible methods such as torture and employs advanced military technology, including drones, to extrajudicially execute alleged terrorists, including United States citizens, and has also caused numerous deaths of innocent members of the civilian population."

http://en.granma.cu/mundo/2020-05-13/us ... -terrorism

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Cuban interferon proven effective against COVID-19
Data shows that only 5.5% of patients treated with Heberon developed serious complications

Author: Orfilio Peláez | informacion@granmai.cu

may 12, 2020 09:05:54


Currently more than 80 countries have expressed interest in acquiring Heberon. Photo: CIGB
Since the appearance, March 11, of the first cases of COVID-19 in Cuba, the country’s Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) has reported that the inclusion of Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 2b in treatment protocols for these patients has shown positive results.

Details on the effectiveness of the product were presented by Dr. Eulogio Pimentel Vázquez, director of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), affiliated with the BioCubaFarma Enterprise Group, where the medication was first produced in the late 1980s.

"The strength of the Cuban health system, and its close ties with the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, in our social system that prioritizes the people's health, makes possible the medication’s availability for all Cubans."

According to Dr. Pimentel, in accordance with the Minsap treatment protocol, this product, in combination with other drugs, is used as soon as a case is confirmed, and not with patients in serious or critical condition.

Data released April 14 shows that 93.4% of patients testing positive for SARS-COV-2 had been treated with Heberon (the commercial name of Recombinant Human Interferon Alpha 2b). Only 5.5% reached serious condition. The mortality rate reported by Minsap on that date was 2.7%, while for patients with whom the drug was used, the rate was 0.9%. On this same date, on the international level, 15 to 20% of patients were reported in serious condition, while the mortality rate was over 6%.

"The data shows that the protocol in our country is effective, and interferon plays a key role in these results."

Referring to the medication’s use around the world, the doctor noted that important reports of preclinical and clinical evidence have appeared in several countries. One recent scientific article refers to a study conducted in Wuhan, China, regarding its use with medical personnel. Of the individuals included in the study, 2,944 received the drug and 3,387 did not. Fifty percent of those not treated contracted the disease, while there were no cases identified among those who benefited from Cuban interferon.

At this time, more than 80 countries have expressed interest in acquiring Heberon, reflecting confidence in its usefulness in confronting the pandemic.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-05-12/cub ... t-covid-19

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Cuba in favorable range on COVID-19 evolutionary curve, but strict preventative measures remain in place
The country’s national director of epidemiology reported that the number of patients recovered, over the last few days, is greater than that of new cases, producing this positive trend

Author: Yisell Rodríguez Milán | informacion@granmai.cu

may 6, 2020 14:05:41

Image
Graph entitled, “Ill patients hospitalized per day.” Vertical axis: Active cases of infection. Horizontal axis: Days since March 11 (when first infection in Cuba was confirmed). Photo: Minsap

The Cuban Ministry of Public Health confirmed that the island remains in the favorable range on the COVID-19 epidemic’s evolutionary curve, despite May 2 seeing the highest number of confirmed infections since the first case was detected here March 11.

Dr. Francisco Durán, head of Epidemiology at the ministry, reported during his daily press conference, May 5, that the number of patients recovered, over the last few days, is greater than that of new cases, producing this positive trend.

Studying propagation of the SARS-CoV2 t virus to produce mathematical forecasts is a team of mathematicians, epidemiologists, physicists, geographers, biostatisticians, computer scientists, demographers and other specialists, who directly advise the Ministry of Health and the Cuban government.

Dr. Durán, however, insisted on national television, “If social indiscipline continues and transmission events begin to occur, the positive trend could change.”

In many places around the world, what has been called a "second wave" of COVID-19 has appeared, when preventative measures are relaxed and a small group of infected persons remain on the streets, passing the virus on. This is something we must avoid, he emphasized.

He reiterated the importance of protective measures, maintaining social distancing, the use of facemasks, frequent hand-washing, and staying at home, as much as possible.

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2020-05-06/cub ... n-in-place
"There is great chaos under heaven; the situation is excellent."

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