Holguin, Cuba- The first stage of the study on seroprevalence (presence of antibodies) and prevalence of Covid-19 in this eastern Cuban province did not record any positive case of this disease in the 113 families tested.

The analyzed samples in our study, carried out between May 12 and 14, were nasopharyngeal exudate collected from 309 people belonging to 23 doctor’s offices in five of 14 Holguin municipalities.

The Provincial Health Directorate in Holguin explained that according to what was planned, the study will continue during three more stages, every 21 days, in which each person will undergo satisfactory studies.

Doctor Yosvani Anache, deputy director of Hygiene and Epidemiology in this province, stated that in each phase, the tests are carried out in different modalities; the first in real-time PCR, the second and third through the ultra micro analytical system technology and the fourth with both procedures.

The study, the first of its characteristics to be carried out in the Americas region and one of the few developed worldwide, is a recommendation by the World Health Organization in order to ‘deepen the ability to spread the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, seroepidemiological characteristics and the extent of the disease it causes. The virus was detected for the first time in Wuhan, China’s central Hubei province, in December 2019, ‘ the Cuban National Center of Medical Sciences Information (Infomed) reported.

Since May 5, no new coronavirus cases have been recorded in Holguin province, about 740 kilometers east of Havana, totaling 92 to date; for an incidence rate of 9.00 per 100,000 inhabitants.