A medical worker presents a dose of locally made COVID-19 vaccine "Soberana 02" in Havana, Cuba on March 31, 2021. (Photo by Joaquin Hernandez/Xinhua)
To date, Cuba has confirmed 951,325 infections and 8,230 deaths since the pandemic first hit the island in March 2020.
by Yosley Carrero
HAVANA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The number of daily coronavirus cases in Cuba continues to fall as the government eases COVID-19 measures across the country.
It comes as the Caribbean nation on Saturday reported 712 new cases, marking the lowest number of infections since mid-July.
According to the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, there are 4,109 active cases of COVID-19 in Cuba, 119 of whom are in intensive care units.
The island nation has recorded 20,503 new infections in the last fortnight, with the province of Camaguey posting 3,421 cases, followed by the province of Holguin with 2,678 and the province of Pinar del Rio with 2,643.
Meanwhile, Havana, the country's most populous city with around 2.2 million residents, logged 1,277 new infections in a period of 15 days.
Francisco Duran, national director of epidemiology at Cuban health ministry, said that the epidemiological situation in Cuba has improved over the past few months, citing the high vaccination rates and active public participation in tackling the health emergency.
"Cuba shows positive indicators in the fight against the virus, but people should strictly follow coronavirus protocols to avoid getting infected," he said during a televised COVID-19 briefing.
The Cuban government has lifted COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, including the gradual reopening of theme parks, sports facilities, and cafeterias.
Local authorities have also given the green light for beaches and swimming pools to reopen, albeit with coronavirus protocols in place.
Starting on Monday, national bus, train, and ferry services will resume operations as universities gear up to reopen for face-to-face learning, local media reported.
Meanwhile, more than 70 percent of the country's eligible population have received a second dose of a homegrown vaccine.
To date, Cuba has confirmed 951,325 infections and 8,230 deaths since the pandemic first hit the island in March 2020. ■
