Via Centro de Información Hablemos Press, an independent news organization in Havana: Decretan al municipio Manzanillo en cuarentena por Cólera. [Manzanillo municipality declared under quarantine over cholera]. Excerpt, with my translation:
Autoridades del Gobierno, en conjunto con las instituciones sanitarias, decretan al municipio Manzanillo en cuarentena; a tiempo que policías y agentes de Seguridad del Estado custodian el Hospital Provincial Clínico Quirúrgico Celia Sánchez Manduley (1920-1980).
Government authorities, together with health institutions, have declared the municipality of Manzanillo to be under quarantine, while police and agents of State Security are guarding the Celia Sánchez Manduley Provincial Surgical Hospital and Clinic.
Según informaron, Yaquelín García Jaens, residente en Bayamo y Misleidi Calvente Figueredo, en Manzanillo; el estado de cuarentena decretado se debe a un brote de Cólera que ha causado la muerte a dos personas, mientras más de 50 permanecen hospitalizados.
According to Yaquelín García Jaens, resident of Bayamo, and Misleidi Calvente Figueredo, of Manzanillo, the quarantine is for a cholera outbreak that has caused the deaths of two persons while 50 others are hospitalized.
La Ciudad de Manzanillo, conocida por el golfo del Guacanayabo, tiene una extensión superficial de 498,4 km². La población total alcanza la cifra de 132.183 personas, de ellas 65.810 son varones y 66.373 son mujeres, datos del Censo de Población y Viviendas de Cuba 2002. Es uno de los trece municipios que componen la provincia Granma y el de mayor importancia a nivel industrial.
The city of Manzanillo, on the Gulf of Guacanayabo, covers 498.4 square kilometers. The total population is 132,183, of whom 65,810 are males and 66,373 are females, according to the 2002 Cuban Census of Population and Households. It is one of 13 municipalities that comprise Granma province and is the most important on the industrial level.
Aunque el Gobierno mantiene todo en silencio y no se ha dado la noticia al pueblo por ninguno de sus medios informativo, se tiene conocimiento que la situación es bastante complicada; han confirmado ambas mujeres.
Although the government maintains silence and has not notified the public through any of its media, it is known that the situation is complicated, both women confirm.
“Hasta donde yo he alcanzado a saber, ya se han reportado dos muertos y el hospital no da abasto, los pasillos están llenos de camillas con pacientes; ya sobrepasan las cincuenta personas, entre niños y adultos, ingresados por esta enfermedad, y además ya hay dos fallecidos, en ambos casos adultos”, dijo Calvente.
"As far as I know," said Calvente, "two deaths have been reported and the hospital is jammed; the corridors are full of patients on cots. Over 50 patients, children and adults, have been admitted with this disease, as well as the two adults who have died."
Calvente indicó que "el brote está con más fuerza para los repartos La Pesquera y La Vuelta el Caño.
She said, "The outbreak is hitting hardest in La Pesquera and La Vuelta el Caño."
“Se dice que la medicina no alcanza y que la están mandando a pedir a otro lugar, pero ellos (el Gobierno) se tienen eso callado pero ya se confirmó que es Cólera”.
"It's said there isn't enough medicine and that they're ordering more from elsewhere, but they (the government) are keeping this quiet but it's been confirmed that this is cholera."
García alega que conoció del brote de la enfermedad cuando visitó Manzanillo el pasado día 26.
García says she learned about the outbreak when she visited Manzanillo on June 26.
“En el hospital Celia Sánchez los custodios fueron sustituidos por agentes de la Policía Nacional Revolucionaria y de la Seguridad del Estado, para evitar que nadie saque información de lo que sucede”, dijo García mientras confirmaba los más de cincuenta ingresos y los dos deceso.
"In Celia Sánchez Hospital the guards were replaced by agents of the National Revolutionary Police and State Security," García said, "to make sure no one would get information about what's happening." She confirmed the over 50 patients and the two deaths.
This is an interesting report: Hablemos Press is based in Havana, and the sources of the story are named. This suggests that press freedom in Cuba is a little greater than we're usually told, and the two women quoted are evidently not afraid of reprisals. It therefore has more plausibility than, say, Cuban-language media in the US, which have an axe to grind about the Castro government.
But the official Cuban media seem to be keeping a lid on the story. If it's basically true, it's a serious political embarrassment for the government. Havana has done a lot of bragging about its work fighting cholera in Haiti; if returning brigade members have brought it into the country, that doesn't speak well for their professionalism.
