Cuba Battles Major Dengue and Chikungunya Surge — Nearly One-Third Affected

Overview

Cuba is confronting a major surge of mosquito-borne illnesses, with the country’s top epidemiologist reporting that nearly one-third of residents have been affected and that large numbers of workers have fallen ill. Health teams have stepped up fumigation in Havana, one of the hardest-hit areas, as authorities try to contain outbreaks of dengue and the once-rare chikungunya virus.

Government response

On Thursday, teams equipped with fogging machines moved through alleys and densely populated buildings across parts of Havana to reduce mosquito populations. Francisco Durán, national director of epidemiology at Cuba’s Ministry of Public Health, described the situation as “acute.” “We are working intensely, as we did with COVID-19,” Durán said, referring to ongoing research and public-health efforts to limit the viruses’ impact.

Treatments and clinical trials

Dengue has long been a recurring problem in Cuba, but recent months have seen chikungunya spread more rapidly. Chikungunya — carried primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, the same species that transmits dengue and Zika — causes severe headaches, rashes and joint pain that can persist for months and lead to long-term disability. There is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya.

Cuban health authorities have launched two clinical trials to evaluate Jusviza, an injectable drug used to control hyperinflammation, as a potential treatment for chikungunya. A separate trial is testing rectal ozone therapy to relieve persistent joint pain following the acute phase; this treatment involves administering ozone gas via the rectum. These trials are experimental and their safety and effectiveness remain under review.

Impact and underlying causes

Public-health experts say the situation has been worsened by logistical and resource challenges tied to a prolonged economic crisis. Cuba’s capacity to fumigate, clear roadside trash and repair leaking pipes has been constrained, and frequent power outages lead many residents to open windows and doors, increasing exposure to mosquitoes. Shortages of food, fuel, medicine and insect repellent have compounded vulnerabilities among poorer communities.

Global context and official statements

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), chikungunya outbreaks have infected nearly 340,000 people worldwide so far in 2025, causing 145 deaths across at least 16 countries. In July, the World Health Organization issued an urgent call for action to prevent a wider epidemic.

Cuban officials have pointed to the decades-long U.S. economic embargo as a factor that has strained the island’s health system. “The blockade is a policy of collective punishment,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said in late October, as the United Nations General Assembly again called for an end to Washington’s embargo for the 33rd consecutive year. Rodríguez said the policy “flagrantly, massively and systematically violates the human rights of Cubans.”

Note: The situation remains fluid. Clinical trials are ongoing, and public-health measures such as vector control, community sanitation and personal protection remain the primary tools to limit transmission.