Havana, August 7 (RHC) --Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stressed the importance of increasing the work with serious and critical patients with Covid-19 and paying maximum attention to the rise in pediatric cases of the disease, reported the television.

At a meeting of the governmental group for the prevention and control of the pandemic, the President remarked that the leaders in the territories must listen and act in response to the population's dissatisfaction.

The exchange made a critical analysis of the epidemiological situation in the country, which on Friday reported 8,886 diagnosed with the disease and 75 deaths.

During the meeting, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero presented his views based on recent visits to the provinces of Ciego de Avila (in the center of the country), Holguin, and Guantanamo (both in the east), with high daily infection rates.

According to the report, the authorities' work at all levels was deficient, which hurt the fight against Covid-19 and people's perception.

Marrero said that the plans to stop the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in these three provinces do not have adequate measures, nor are the established provisions and protocols rigorously complied with.

He assured that the indications to restrict mobility in these areas are insufficient and advocated studying the positive experiences of other territories.

There is also a persistent shortage of medical and nursing staff, especially in primary care, which is responsible for people admitted at home. There are other difficulties associated with the classification of patients, said the head of government.

The Prime Minister pointed out that no country was prepared to face a context such as the one caused by Covid-19 but insisted on the importance of solving the problems within everyone's reach.

In this regard, he mentioned the work with the primary health system, strengthening it, and adequately addressing the weaknesses identified.

The country will give all possible support to the provinces', said Diaz-Canel, and stressed how teams from the top management would accompany and advise the fight against Covid-19.

Cuba had on Friday 403 confirmed patients in intensive care: 142 serious and were in critical and  261 in serious condition.

Of the cases reported today, 1,665 are under 20 years of age.