Havana, March 23 (RHC)-- Cuban health authorities have confirmed 5 new COVID-19 patients, for a total of 40 cases in the country.

The new cases are as follow:

-A Russian citizen, 45, who arrived in Cuba on March 12 from France. He began to show respiratory symptoms on March 20, and the next day, March 21, was identified as a suspected case and sent to the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute, where he tested positive for COVID-19. The patient is stable though in critical condition.

-A Cuban female citizen, aged 91, who resides in Plaza de la Revolución, Havana. She came in close contact with four Canadian tourists diagnosed with COVID-19. The Cuban patient remains hospitalized at the “Luis Díaz Soto” hospital. She is stable, and progresses favorably.

-A Cuban male citizen, 57, who lives in Banes, Holguín province. He returned home from Spain on March 16. Upon showing respiratory symptoms, on March 19 he sought health assistance. He was identified as a suspected case and sent to the “Fermín Valdez Domínguez” Hospital, where he was hospitalized. The patient is in stable condition and progresses favorably.

-A French citizen, 57, who arrived in Cuba on March 9 from France. On March 17, he began to show respiratory symptoms and sought health assistance in central Villa Clara province, where he was identified as a suspected case and sent to the “Manuel Piti Fajardo” hospital, where he tested positive and was hospitalized. The patient is progressing favorably.

-A Cuban citizen, 31, who resides in Villa Clara province. He returned from Spain on March 14. He began to show respiratory symptoms on March 19, and on that same day he sought health assistance. He was identified as a suspected case and sent to the “Manuel Piti Fajardo” hospital in his hometown, where he was hospitalized. He is stable and progressing favorably.

Out of the 40 confirmed cases in Cuba thus far, 35 are progressing favorably, while 3 are in critical condition. These are:

- A Cuban male patient, aged 63, who suffers from hypertension, diabetes and ischemic heart disease. He remains hospitalized in an intensive care unit at the “Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute with a ventilator.

- An Italian patient, 71, who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He remains hospitalized at the “Fermín Valdés Domínguez” hospital in Holguín province. He is stable though in critical condition.

-A Russian patient, aged 45, with Diabetes type II. He remains hospitalized in critical condition at the “Pedro Kourí” Tropical Medicine Institute.