Journalist Yirmara Torres Hernández has painted a grim picture of Matanzas, describing it as a "city of zombies" due to the overwhelming impact of the chikungunya virus. In her poignant account, Torres captures the collapse of both the healthcare system and the human spirit in the province as the disease spreads unchecked.
According to Torres, officials only started responding after the outbreak had been escalating for nearly two months. She expressed deep frustration that residents of Matanzas faced the epidemic under dire circumstances: enduring 22-hour power cuts, water shortages, and lacking basic necessities to combat the arboviral diseases that have left many incapacitated.
“Matanzas today feels like a city of zombies... we're all bent over, in pain. Just step outside and see for yourself,” she expressed with urgency and empathy on her Facebook page. Torres, the former head of the Union of Journalists of Cuba in the western province, highlighted that whole neighborhoods, towns, and families are affected, making formal surveys unnecessary.
The journalist also condemned the lack of fumigation and state neglect. "No one came to my street to survey or fumigate inside our homes. One day, a tractor made more noise than it produced smoke," she remarked. Despite these challenges, she praised the community's solidarity, which has been critical in weathering the crisis: “We've supported each other with paracetamol tablets, rehydration salts, or by carrying buckets of water. This beautiful solidarity is what saves us.”
Torres urged neighboring provinces to learn from Matanzas' experience and take proactive measures. “I just pray for Havana... I hope no lives are lost, as has happened and continues to happen here. Human life is sacred and must be protected,” she warned.
She concluded her account by criticizing the lack of transparency that has plagued the management of the outbreak. “To tackle these diseases, information is crucial. Information is power. Sharing information is not about causing alarm, especially when it concerns health. While it might be too late for Matanzas, it is still relevant for provinces facing the peak,” she asserted.
Weeks earlier, Torres had taken to Facebook to reveal fatalities due to the chikungunya outbreak in her community, directly contradicting official statements that denied any deaths. Similarly, Cuban historian and activist Alina Bárbara López Hernández accused national and provincial authorities of manipulating data related to the epidemic ravaging Matanzas.
Soon after, the state-run Radio 26 in Matanzas issued a statement through provincial radio director Odalys Oriol Miranda Suárez, attempting to discredit Torres. Miranda accused digital platforms of "manipulating" Torres' post and claimed her report was a targeted move "against the system" rather than a "legitimate concern."
On October 15, the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) officially acknowledged the deaths of three people due to dengue in 2025. This announcement by Deputy Minister Carilda Peña García marked the first institutional admission of deaths from arboviral diseases this year, breaking weeks of silence and denials amidst citizen reports of increasing severe cases, particularly in Matanzas.
Several Cuban provinces, including Holguín, Camagüey, Ciego de Ávila, Villa Clara, and Havana, are experiencing a resurgence of arboviral infections.
Understanding the Chikungunya Crisis in Matanzas
What led to the chikungunya outbreak in Matanzas?
The chikungunya outbreak in Matanzas was exacerbated by delayed government response, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and poor living conditions such as prolonged power outages and water shortages.
How have residents of Matanzas coped with the crisis?
Residents have relied on community solidarity, sharing resources like medication and water, to manage the health crisis amid minimal state support.
What criticisms have been raised regarding government transparency?
Critics have pointed out the lack of transparency and misinformation by authorities, which has hindered effective public health responses and awareness.