Via Hablemos Press: Reportan 15 muertos por cólera en el oriente de Cuba. [15 cholera death reported in eastern Cuba] Excerpt, with my translation:
Bayamo.- Al menos 15 muertos se reportan como víctimas del brote de cólera en la oriental provincia de Granma, donde cientos de personas permanecen hospitalizadas por la enfermedad. Testimonios obtenidos entre residentes y personal de salud pública en Bayamo, Manzanillo y otras localidades del territorio señalan entre 15 y 16 los fallecidos por la epidemia, que fue admitida oficialmente por las autoridades cubanas. La información fue corroborada con nueve entrevistados de la zona.
Bayamo: At least 15 deaths have been reported in the outbreak of cholera in the eastern province of Granma, where hundreds of persons remain hospitalized with the disease. Testimony obtained from residents and public-health personnel in Bayamo, Manzanillo, and other localities in the region indicates 15 or 16 deaths in the epidemic, which has been officially admitted by the Cuban authorities. The information was corroborated with nine interviews in the region.
“Los muertos pasan de 16”, dijo Enrique Piñeiro, residente en la ciudad de Manzanillo. “Ahora yo tuve noticia fidedigna, que solamente, entre sábado y domingo murieron cuatro personas”. Piñeiro dijo que la cifra de 16 defunciones ha sido a causa del cólera, aunque los certificados de defunción están tratando de ocultarlo.
"Deaths exceed 16," said Enrique Piñeiro, resident in the city of Manzanillo. "Now I have reliable information that four persons died just between Saturday and Sunday." Piñeiro said 16 deaths have been caused by cholera, though the death certificates are trying to hide it.
¿Insuficiencia Respiratoria Aguda o cólera? [Acute respiratory insufficiency or cholera?]
“Lo puedo asegurar porque entre los fallecidos, hay una señora de 56 años que vive aquí en el [reparto] ICP, un señor de La Pesquera y otro es del municipio Yara… a todas les han puesto en el certificado de defunción Insuficiencia Respiratoria Aguda”, afirmó.
"I can confirm it because among the dead there was a lady, 56, who livedhere in the neighbourhood, a gentleman from La Pesquera and another from Yara municipality...they all had Acute Respiratory Insufficiency on their death certificates," he asserted.
Un empleado que tiene acceso directo a los certificados de defunción emitidos en las instituciones hospitalarias, confirmó –bajo condición de anonimato- que a los fallecidos se les está situando insuficiencia respiratoria como causa de muerte.
An employee with direct access to the death certificates issued by hospitals confirmed (under condition of anonymity) that respiratory insufficiency is being cited as the cause of the deaths.
The report goes on to say that the provincial press has made no more mention of the the outbreak. One resident says "there's a tremendous fear of telling the public the truth." The same person says cholera has broken out in Pilón and Niquero. "I have a niece who's a doctor in the hospital and she's told me that the deaths exceed 15."
The report also says persons overheard talking about cholera have been arrested and sent to the National Revolutionary Police. The Pan American Health Organization has been notified of the outbreak, and has offered help if the government needs it.
Update: I've just seen a story in the Miami Herald based on this report.
