Epidemiological Characterization of Patients in the First Eight Weeks Following Detection of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (omicron) Variant in Cuba.

INTRODUCTION: In November 2021, omicron-a new SARS-CoV-2 variant-was identified in South Africa and almost immediately, WHO declared it a 'variant of concern'. In view of its rapid worldwide spread and its imminent introduction in Cuba, genomic surveillance was strengthened. OBJECTIVE: Describe cases during the first eight epidemiological weeks (epiweeks) of SARS-CoV-2 infection attributable to omicron variant in Cuba by clinical and epidemiological variables. METHODS: From epiweek 48, 2021 to epiweek 4, 2022, 288 nasopharyngeal swabs were processed for sequencing of a 1836 bp fragment of the S gene. Variants were identified according to GISAID database and confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. Variants' association with clinical and epidemiological outcomes was assessed. RESULTS: The first cases of omicron variant were imported, mostly from African countries and the United States. During the period studied, omicron was detected in 83.0% (239/288) of cases processed, while the delta variant was found in 17.0% (49/288). Most persons infected with omicron were symptomatic (63.2%; 151/239) and fully vaccinated (65.3%; 156/239); severe cases and deaths occurred mainly among patients aged ≥65 years (92.9%; 13/14), and 12 of these deaths occurred in fully vaccinated persons (92.3%; 12/13). Omicron spread rapidly throughout the country (from 10% of cases in epiweek 48, 2021, to 100% by epiweek 4, 2022), displacing the formerly predominant delta variant. CONCLUSIONS: Omicron's rapid expansion in Cuba was associated with increased incidence but not with a higher case fatality rate. The relatively milder disease in those infected with this variant could be influenced by the high vaccination coverage, along with the natural immunity acquired as a consequence of previous virus infection.

Emergence and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants during the Cuban epidemic.

The SARS CoV-2 D614G variant circulated in Cuba in 2020. New viral variants were detected after the opening of the border in November 2020. We show the results of the genomic surveillance in Cuba from December 28, 2020, to September 28, 2021 and their relationship to the epidemiological situation in the country. A total of 1,406 nasopharyngeal exudates from COVID-19 patients were processed for RNA extraction and the 1836 bp fragment of the spike gene was amplified and sequenced. The mutations present were determined using the GISAID database. Prevalence ratios were estimated by fitting Poisson univariate and multivariate regression models to investigate associations between SARS-CoV-2 variant group (VOC, non-VOC) and disease outcome. Seventeen genetic variants were detected including VOC Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta, one variant of interest (VOI) (Lambda) and two previous VOI (A.2.5.1 and Zeta/P.2). Beta (34.77%), Delta (24.89%) and D614G (19%) variants were the most frequently detected. By June, Delta increased in frequency, displacing Beta. Disease severity increased significantly with age and VOC (PR =1.98, IC 95%: 1.33-3.05, p <0.05). Genomic surveillance allowed us to identify the upsurge of novel variants. Coinciding with the higher epidemic period, multiple variants were co-circulating. Although we cannot rule out that failure in the transmission containment measures occurred, the increase in the number of cases associated with the circulation of several variants, particularly the Beta and Delta variants is highly suggestive. A greater association of Beta variant with clinical severity and Delta variant with a greater transmissibility was observed.

Clinical-Epidemiological Characteristics of the First Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19 in Cuba.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 is caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, the same day that the first cases in Cuba were diagnosed. In Cuba, all confirmed cases of COVID-19 were hospitalized from this point forward. OBJECTIVE: Characterize the first patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Cuba. INTRODUCTION: METHODS We carried out a descriptive, cross-sectional study of 415 suspected cases of COVID-19 admitted to the Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute in Havana, Cuba, from March 11, 2020 through April 10, 2020. (In Cuba, all patients suspected of being COVID-19-positive were admitted to hospitals or isolation centers for observation and treatment.) Of these 415 individuals, 63 (15.2%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Information was obtained from the Institute's databases as well as a standardized interview form for cases confirmed or suspected as infected with the novel coronavirus. We considered the following variables: age, sex, occupation at the time of interview, national origin, personal health history, time elapsed between symptom onset and hospital admission, signs and symptoms, diagnosis and status at discharge. We based our analysis on frequency distributions and double-entry contingency tables. RESULTS: The mean age was 50 years (range: 16-94 years). The 45-54 age group represented the largest share of cases (25.4%; 16/63); persons aged ≥65 years were 20.6% (13/63); there were more men than women (55.6% vs. 44.4%). Cubans represented 52.4% (33/63) of patients while 47.6% (30/63) were from 14 countries where COVID-19 had already been identified. All foreigners and Cubans who arrived from abroad were considered imported cases (54.0%; 34/63). Health personnel (10 doctors and 1 nurse) represented 17.5% (11/63) of cases. Cough (50.8%), fever (46.0%), sore throat (22.2%) and headache (19.0%) were the most frequently reported symptoms. Asymptomatic patients represented 25.4% (16/63) of cases. Hypertension was the most frequently associated chronic disease (28.6%), followed by asthma (25.0%) and diabetes (17.9%). Patients who were admitted to hospital ≥3 days after symptom onset represented 66.7% (42/63) of cases. Mean hospital stay was 13.7 days (range: 1-27 days). Factors associated with a higher risk of contracting the disease included occupation as a healthcare worker (OR: 1.85; 95%, CI: 0.88-3.87) and aged ≥65 years (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 0.85-3.34). Five individuals died, for a fatality rate of 7.9% (three foreigners and two Cubans; four men and one woman). Four of these patients were infected outside of Cuba and one was identified as a contact of a confirmed case. All patients who died had significant comorbidities (diabetes, asthma and hypertension). Age of deceased patients ranged from 54 to 87 years. CONCLUSION: The first patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Cuba were admitted to the Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute in Havana. They share characteristics with those reported by other countries: more men than women were affected, and comorbidities including hypertension, diabetes and asthma were all important risk factors, as was age ≥65 years. More than half of all cases were imported, and autochthonous patients were all contacts of confirmed cases.

Curso provincial virtual Las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en el proceso docente educativo. Evaluación, resultados y experiencia / Provincial virtual course Information technologies and communication in the teaching educational process. Evaluation, results and experience

La cátedra de Universidad Virtual de Salud (UVS) de Las Tunas, conjuntamente con el Grupo provincial de producción de software en salud, aprovechando los beneficios que brindan los entornos de aprendizaje en red, realizaron el curso provincial virtual “Las TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación) en el proceso docente educativo”, compuesto por cuatro temas fundamentales. El objetivo primordial fue capacitar a los profesionales de la Salud que imparten la docencia en condiciones de universalización, en el uso para el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC). El presente trabajo constituye una valoración de resultados de este curso y pretende poner de manifiesto tres necesidades fundamentales, que fueron evidentes durante el proceso docente: una, hacer conscientes a nuestros educadores de todas las potencialidades que brindan las nuevas tecnologías para ser aplicadas en el proceso formativo; dos, poner al descubierto todo el potencial que existe en cada docente, que puede ser revertido en la confección de un sin número de medios de enseñanza, y tres, que es necesario capacitar todo el tiempo en temas de alfabetización informacional (AU)

The chair of the Virtual University of Health in Las Tunas together with the Provincial Group for the production of software in the Health sector, have carried out the Provincial virtual Course entitled "ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in the teaching educational process" making good use of the benefits offered by the learning surroundings on the net. The course is composed of four fundamental topics with the primary objective of capacitating the health-care professionals who teach under the conditions of universalization, in the use, for the teaching - learning process, of the Information and Communication Technologies. The present work constitutes an evaluation of the results of this course and it intends to bring forth three fundamental needs that were evident during the teaching process: make our educators conscious of all the potentialities that the new technologies offer, to be applied in the formative process; reveal all the potential that exists in each teacher, and that can be reverted in the making of a number of material aids, and that it is necessary to update professionals in themes of informational literacy(AU)

Hiperentornos para la enseñanza de la informática médica I / INFOCLIC: hyperlinks for the teaching of Medical Informatics I

Se realizaron Hiperentornos Educativos de Aprendizaje (HEA) con la herramienta Sadhea-Web, para la impartición de los Temas I, II y III de la asignatura de Informática Médica I que se imparte para la carrera de Medicina. Estos tres HEA están dirigidos a apoyar a los estudiantes en su preparación, profundización y actualización sistemática, en temas de vital importancia para lograr la utilización de la Informática Médica en la recuperación de información científico-técnica. La inclusión de las nuevas tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones en la enseñanza de la Informática ofrece un aporte social porque ha propiciando un enriquecimiento de los medios de enseñanza, imponiendo un rol más activo a ambos protagonistas y un aporte económico (AU)

Learning Educative Hyperlinks (LEH) with Sadhea-web tools were developed to teach themes I, II, and III of the subject Medical Informatics I, which is taught in the medical studies. These three LEH are directed to support the students´ systematic preparation, deepening and updating in vital themes to achieve the use of medical informatics in retrieving technical and scientific information. The inclusion of information and communication technologies in teaching not only offers a social contribution because it fosters the enrichment of teaching aids, but also gives a more active role to both protagonists and an economical contribution (AU)

Proyecto Andar Universitario Tunero: expresión del extensionismo en la universalización médica de Las Tunas / Andar Universitario Tunero Project in Las Tunas: expression of university extensions in the municipality project of Medical teaching

El Extensionismo en la Universidad Médica de Las Tunas se materializa a través del proyecto Andar Universitario Tunero que tiene como objetivo consolidar un sistema Integral y dinámico de preparación política, ideológica y educativa a través de acciones que permitan ampliar la preparación científica, cultural y el perfil socio humanístico del futuro egresado. Este proyecto surgió a raíz del llamado de Fidel en el VII Congreso de la FEU a que los estudiantes contribuyeran con la satisfacción de nuestro pueblo y cambiar el cuadro de salud en los lugares que ameritaran la intervención del ejército de las batas blancas. Entre sus resultados se evidencia el fortalecimiento de valores y la dimensión ética de estudiantes y trabajadores del sector involucrados en sus diversas direcciones, transformando la calidad de vida de las comunidades donde interactúan(AU)

The extracurricular activities in Las Tunas Medical University becomes a reality through the project The Universitarian Pace in Las Tunas that has established as its goal the consolidation of a comprehensive and dynamic system of political, ideological and educative preparation, through planned activities that will widen and enlarge the scientific and cultural preparation as well as the social and humanist profile of the future graduates. This project came to life as a response to the call made by Fidel during the Seventh Congress of the University Students Federation when he asked them to contribute to the satisfaction of our people, changing the present health picture wherever the intervention of the white coats army was required. The results evidence a strengthening of values and a growth in the ethical dimension of students and workers involved in its many and diverse directions, thus transforming the lives of the communities where they interact(AU)

El Trabajo Político Ideológico y la nueva Universidad de Ciencias Médicas / The Political Ideological work and the new Medical Sciences University

El trabajo político ideológico exige trabajar sobre la base de las realidades concretas de cada lugar, de los problemas fundamentales que preocupan a las masas y de la solución de las prioridades que decidirán el curso futuro de la Revolución. Esos han sido los objetivos del accionar de todos los factores dentro de la Universidad Médica de Las Tunas, donde a través del proyecto Andar Universitario Tunero se han materializado acciones que llevan a la práctica los fundamentos teóricos que el Partido Comunista de Cuba ha definido para lograr éxitos en esta esfera(AU)

The political- ideological work demands working on the specific realities of each place, on the fundamental problems that are the concerns of the people, and on the solution of the priorities that will determine the future course of the Revolution. Those have been the objectives of all the factors in the Medical University of Las Tunas, where through the Andar Universitario Tunero Project, many actions have materialized to take to practice the theoretical issues of the Communist Party of Cuba, so as to have success in this area(AU)