Inhabitants of Santiago de Cuba's Sorribe neighborhood are raising alarms about a severe health crisis stemming from a house at 2nd Street, number 9. A serious bedbug infestation and a local garbage dump are impacting numerous families, as reported by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada.
The property in question is overwhelmed by unsanitary conditions, with heaps of trash functioning as an indoor landfill. This situation has led to a significant spread of bedbugs and other pests infiltrating neighboring homes.
“The situation is unbearable, and nothing is being done about it. Many of us are affected, and it keeps spreading,” expressed a distressed resident.
Residents have reportedly sought assistance from various institutions, including the Hygiene and Epidemiology Department at the Julián Grimau Polyclinic, social services, and the local vector control department. However, no effective action or solutions have been provided.
Neighbors also note that the man residing in the house has seven siblings, none of whom have addressed the issue.
The community is calling for immediate intervention from Public Health, Community Services, and local authorities, particularly given the threat to children and the elderly in the area.
This complaint is not an isolated incident. Since 2024, Santiago de Cuba has experienced multiple outbreaks of infestations that authorities have struggled to contain. In July of that year, bedbugs invaded the Gustavo Machín Psychiatric Hospital with no effective resolution for months. Furthermore, in July 2025, a video showed an elderly patient at the same hospital covered in bedbugs.
In May 2025, the Raúl Gómez García semi-boarding school in Abel Santamaría was affected by a bedbug outbreak, with many students suffering bites. That same year, the Puerto Príncipe Hotel in Camagüey had to close entirely due to an infestation that spread two blocks around.
The sanitary deterioration in Santiago de Cuba is systemic. In April 2026, the provincial government acknowledged a hygienic-epidemiological decline, including an Aedes aegypti infestation surpassing historical averages, poor sanitation, unchlorinated water, and a lack of fumigation due to fuel shortages.
In the same month, Mayeta Labrada documented a primary school surrounded by trash in Santiago de Cuba, and in December 2025, the Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity publicly condemned the accumulation of waste in front of its temple as “outrageous, painful, and deeply disrespectful.”
Health authorities have conceded that a shortage of insecticides is a significant barrier to combating the infestation, while the Ministry of Public Health has yet to release any official statements on the situation nationwide.
“When an infestation enters a neighborhood and institutions turn a blind eye, it’s no longer an individual problem. It becomes a public health issue,” warned Mayeta Labrada in his report.
Frequently Asked Questions on Santiago de Cuba's Bedbug Crisis
What is causing the health crisis in Santiago de Cuba's Sorribe neighborhood?
The crisis is due to a severe bedbug infestation and an accumulation of garbage at a residence on 2nd Street, affecting neighboring homes.
Have local authorities addressed the infestation problem?
Despite residents reaching out to various local institutions, no effective response or intervention has been provided.
What broader issues are contributing to Santiago de Cuba's sanitary decline?
A systemic decline in hygiene, including Aedes aegypti infestations, poor sanitation, unchlorinated water, and fuel shortages for fumigation, are contributing to the problem.