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 Health authorities have reported just two virus-related deaths over
the past nine days among more than 200 active cases on the
Caribbean's largest island, a sign they may have the worst of the
outbreak under control.
The government, which hopes to increase its biopharmaceutical
exports, has touted various drugs it produces for helping prevent
infection with the new coronavirus and treating the COVID-19 disease
it causes.
It ascribes the recent reduction in deaths of severely ill COVID-19
patients largely to the use beginning in April of two drugs that
appear to help calm the "cytokine storm," a dangerous overresponse
by the immune system in which it attacks healthy tissue as well as
the invading virus.
One is itolizumab, a monoclonal antibody produced in Cuba and
elsewhere. The other is a peptide that Cuba says its biotech
industry discovered and has been testing for rheumatoid arthritis in
Phase II clinical trials.
"Some 80 percent of patients who end up in critical condition are
dying. In Cuba, with the use of these drugs, 80 percent of those who
end up in critical or serious condition are being saved," President
Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Thursday in a meeting shown on state
television.
Scientists caution that large placebo-controlled studies are needed
to assess the safety and efficacy of these drugs for treating
COVID-19.
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But Cuba's experimental treatments have helped it achieve an overall COVID-19
death rate of 4.2%, compared with the regional and global averages of 5.9% and
6.6%, respectively, health authorities say.
Fatality rates depend on many variables, including the rate of testing, quality
of healthcare systems, and age and underlying health condition of the
population.
Official data suggests that Cuba, with universal healthcare and a well-staffed
care system, has done well in containing its outbreak. It has registered less
than 20 cases per day over the past week, down from a peak of 50 to 60 in
mid-April. In total, Cuba has reported 1,916 cases for a population of 11
million and 81 death.
That translates to an infection rate 0.71 per 100,000 inhabitants, compared with
about 29 per 100,000 for the United States, according to a John's Hopkins
University tally.
Swift action helped Cuba contain its outbreak. After closing borders, schools
and public transportation in March, Cuba urged residents to stay home, made
wearing of masks obligatory, and employed effective contact tracing to curb the
virus spread.
(Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Additional Reporting by Nelson Acosta; Editing by
Bill Berkrot)
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