Havana, November 14 (RHC)-- Cuba is moving towards the control of the Covid-19 pandemic. A lower number of the cases evidences this during the week, a health authority said Friday.

According to the Chief of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health of the island, Francisco Durán, the last 15 days' incidence rate discreetly decreased. It currently stands at 5.88 per 100 thousand inhabitants.

Duran reported that the island aspires to expand its network of molecular biology laboratories to diagnose Covid-19 and other ailments and that currently, it has 17 such facilities.

Meanwhile, after six months without Covid-19, the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba was reinforcing precautions this week, after reporting on Friday eight cases, one of them imported; five open outbreaks and one local transmission event.

Evaluating the situation, Dr. José A. Portal, Minister of Public Health, estimated that without being a crisis, it is necessary to assume it with all energy to avoid a rise of the pandemic, which has been very well faced in the territory until now.

The minister insisted on the challenges that the new normality entails and urged to comply with the health protocols conceived and announcing changes to perfect the Molecular Biology laboratory of the city, the second-largest city in the country.