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• Local
• International
• Santiago de Cuba
• Health and Medicine
• 05 / 02 / 2009

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Cuban authorities are on alert and have tightened preventive measures against the threat of a swine flu epidemic decreed by the World Health Organization (WHO). During a visit to eastern Santiago de Cuba province, First Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura corroborated that the Civil Defense and the Public Health Ministry have followed closely the evolution of the disease.

Swine flu, which spreads rapidly among humans, has affected Mexico (where the largest number of cases have been reported), the United States, Canada and several European, Asian and Latin American countries.

In order to protect Cuban citizens and prevent the virus from entering the country and spreading nationwide, the government has all necessary resources, Machado Ventura noted.

The vice president added that rigorous and painstaking checkups of citizens at the primary healthcare level, and follow-ups at hospitals are other major strategic measures that have been taken in Cuba.

He went on to say that Cuba's infrastructure and expertise in similar situations place the country among the nations with the greatest possibilities to reduce the spreading of the disease and reduce the risk of contagion.

Machado Ventura visited the Oriente Pharmaceutical Labs, a pillar in medicine production in Cuba, as well as other projects in the hydraulic and food sectors.

Source: Prensa Latina