Extreme hygiene measures stated by Health System in Pinar del Río after Hurricane Michael

Hurricane Michael affected the westernmost territory of Cuba, the health system in Pinar del Río calls for extreme hygienic measures in order to avoid epidemics and further health issues that could lead to a more delicate situation.

Preventive tasks require maximum attention whilst recovering, says Niurka Rodríguez Hernández, provincial director of Public Health in the territory, who insists on "the use of sodium hypochlorite to treat the water, as well as the conservation, handling and preparation of food to prevent outbreaks of diarrhea and food poisoning. "

Health authorities demand responsible institutions to control the collection of solid waste and liquid waste, in addition to the active participation of the community.

Rodríguez Hernández suggests scrubbing and clogging water storage tanks and sanitizing homes both inside and outside. There have been applied some preventive treatments with doxycycline tablets to the population from the flood zones to avoid diseases like leptospirosis.

In the previous stages, Pinar del Rio complied the corresponding measures through health services located in each of the defense zones, as well as the assurance of the most important resources such as food and medicines for the population, specifically those places of greater incidence of the hurricane like Sandino, Mantua, Guane and Minas de Matahambre.