Havana, May 10 (RHC)-- At the meeting of the temporary group for the prevention and control of COVID-19, President Miguel Díaz-Canel called for maintaining social distance this Sunday and expressed the affection, respect and admiration for all Cuban mothers.

The President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, described as "very favorable" the balance of the last five days of battle against COVID-19 in Cuba, a period in which 86 new cases were confirmed, which marked a decrease in the daily level of sick people, and more than 264 discharges were made.

During an analysis of the week that just ended, the president said that in three days there were no deaths, although we had to regret five deaths.  In addition, there was a decrease of 183 active patients, that is, those who were admitted to be treated, which has been removing the burden from our health care system.

At the meeting of the working group for the prevention and control of the new coronavirus, held this Saturday at the Palace of the Revolution, Diaz-Canel said that for seven consecutive days there were more dismissals than admissions to the health system.  Fewer positive cases came in than those who left hospitalization due to medical discharge, he explained.

He added that we have already accumulated 1,140 discharges, which means that 65% of the patients we have had to treat for this disease have been saved.

However, the Cuban president insisted once again, we cannot gain confidence, on the contrary, we must continue to consolidate the measures; we must continue to evaluate the insufficiencies we have in order to return to normal in the shortest time possible.

With respect to this other stage that the country must go through, he commented that in the Council of Ministers a group of decisions have been taken in relation to recovery planning and everything that the country will do in the future and in the near future to also face the economic crisis associated with this pandemic."

At the meeting, led by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, the President of the Republic mentioned the priorities that should mark this moment of challenge to COVID-19, including working with the outbreaks and epidemiological surveillance; continuing to investigate and find possible carriers and asymptomatic cases; and monitoring all people around these new patients; all of which will allow us to move forward and consolidate results".

Díaz-Canel took advantage of the meeting, where the situation in Havana and the measures in the transport sector were checked, to call for social isolation also on Sunday, Mother's Day.