Allegations of "COVID Camps" in Cuba: GLA Investigates

In recent months, rumors have circulated of COVID-19 isolation centers in Cuba. 
 
Today, Cuban newspaper Cubanet published a photo of food from an “isolation center” in Havana. 

Nasalferon drops from camp

Over the last several days, our organization has received firsthand testimony from one of these camps, run out of the Lázaro Cárdenas School in Santa Clara.
 
This is what we’ve learned.
 
A government “survey taker” (encuestadora), allegedly connected to the Ministry of Public Health, knocks on citizens’ doors daily, asking how many people live in each home and whether they are experiencing respiratory or fever-like symptoms. They take down respondents’ full names.
 
Suspected COVID-positive cases are being transported to an “isolation center,” which is a minimally converted school. They are isolated for 5 days, given the PCR COVID-19 test, and if tested positive, are sent to the Military Hospital. If they test negative, they must remain 5 more days before being PCR tested again.
 
Treatment Failings. In the military hospital, COVID-positive patients are given Cuba’s experimental interferon treatment every other day. In some cases, a COVID-negative person can accompany patients in the hospital. The COVID-negative companions are given drops of Nasalferon (pictured) twice daily to prevent contagion, while the COVID-positive patients are given interferon shots.

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 According to reports, however, the medical professionals are not documenting people’s health conditions and status accurately. They have tried to give interferon to COVID-negative companions instead of the COVID patient, and have tried to give excessive doses of Interferon to patients, allegedly due to poor documentation.
 
There have also been cases of individuals in the isolation center feeling sick and being ignored by medical staff until the doctor’s nightly visit.
 
Food and water, while provided, are only given when requested, and food is described as consistently “awful.” Personnel claim to be offering a special strawberry drink, which patients identify as water.

COVID camp food

"Strawberry" mystery drink

Bunk beds 3 ft. apart

Facilities and Hygiene Failings. The facilities are crowded, not ideal conditions for limiting the spread of disease: in the detention center, there are 10 people to a room. In the COVID-positive Military Hospital, there are even more. Newly suspected COVID-positive patients are brought in and live alongside people who have just tested negative via PCR. Bunk beds are only separated by 3 feet (1 meter), not the recommended 6 feet (2 meters).

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The cleanliness in the center is “awful,” with patients having to clean most spaces themselves, which further contributes to contamination, The only space cleaned by staff is the common walkway between beds; everything else is left dirty. No bleach is available unless patients befriend cleaning staff.

Unclean floors (arrow points to area cleaned by staff)

Hot water is entirely unavailable, which means poor hygiene and no ability to bathe regularly. In one case, a small girl only bathed once in the 10-day period. In another instance, a baby could not be bathed at all, only wiped with a moist towel.
 
When discharged, detainees must wait for government transport. Like prisoners, they cannot leave of their own accord. A final reminder that Cubans are not truly free.
 
The Global Liberty Alliance will continue looking into this matter and will update this summary as events warrant.
 
Note:
Medical isolation camps are not new to the Communist regime. In the 1980s, Cuba sent AIDS-positive individuals to camps, called “sanitariums,” where they were required to spend the rest of their lives. According to the New York Times, as of 2012, three of those sanitariums still existed.
 
References:
“Cuba’s AIDS Sanitariums: Fortresses against a Viral Foe” (New York Times, May 8, 2012): https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/health/cubas-aids-sanitariums-fortresses-against-a-viral-foe.html
 
“Cubanos secuestrados de Mariel piden ayuda” (Despierta Cuba, Aug. 14, 2020):
https://despiertacuba.com/cubanos-secuestrados-de-mariel-piden-ayuda/