In 2025, the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo accounted for half of the 124 new leprosy cases reported across Cuba, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Public Health's 2025 Health Statistical Yearbook, released in late October 2026.
Santiago de Cuba reported 40 new cases, with a rate of 4.2 per 100,000 residents, while Guantánamo saw 22 new cases, translating to a rate of 4.8 per 100,000. Together, these provinces contributed 62 diagnoses out of the 124 counted nationally, where the average rate was 1.3 per 100,000 people.
A notable statistic comes from the Isle of Youth, which, despite having only four cases, recorded the highest rate in the country at 5.5 per 100,000, surpassing both high-count eastern provinces.
Havana documented 9 cases (rate 0.5), while Villa Clara and Cienfuegos were the only provinces to report no cases in 2025.
Leprosy Forms and Treatment in Focus
Of the national total, 113 cases were multibacillary (91.1%) and 11 were paucibacillary (8.9%). In Santiago de Cuba, all 40 diagnoses were multibacillary, and in Guantánamo, 20 out of 22 cases were the same.
The multibacillary form indicates a higher bacterial load and necessitates a longer treatment period—12 months compared to six months for the paucibacillary form—although in both instances, the disease becomes non-transmissible from the initial doses of treatment.
Public Awareness and Early Detection
Dr. Raisa Rumbaut Castillo, head of the National Leprosy Program at the Ministry of Public Health, assured on Canal Caribe that the disease should not incite social panic.
"Contrary to public belief, leprosy is not highly contagious. It requires intimate, prolonged, household contact for transmission. It is not spread through kissing, hugging, or touching," she emphasized.
The specialist highlighted early warning signs that warrant medical consultation: light or reddish skin patches with loss of sensation, numbness or tingling, and reduced muscle strength in hands and feet.
Early diagnosis is crucial because untreated leprosy can lead to permanent disabilities by affecting the peripheral nervous system.
"Detecting it early is vital because of its impact on the peripheral nervous system, which can lead to the feared disabilities," Rumbaut Castillo stressed.
Treatment—a combination of rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine—is provided for free annually by the World Health Organization and distributed at no cost in Cuba.
Overcoming Stigma and Support for Patients
Cuba eliminated leprosy as a public health issue in 1993 when prevalence dropped below one case per 10,000 residents, yet new diagnoses have never ceased: approximately 200 cases annually before the pandemic, 81 in 2021, 140 in 2022, and 123 in 2023.
Dr. Rumbaut Castillo urged the public to support those diagnosed, avoiding stigmatization.
"A leprosy patient could be someone's loved one. Hence, they should be treated with the respect they deserve, keeping in mind the three truths about leprosy: it is curable, it becomes non-transmissible from the first doses of treatment, and patients should not be discriminated against but supported."
Understanding Leprosy in Cuba
What regions in Cuba reported the highest leprosy rates in 2025?
In 2025, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo reported the highest rates of leprosy, with the Isle of Youth having the highest rate despite fewer cases.
How is leprosy transmitted?
Leprosy requires intimate and prolonged household contact for transmission; it is not spread by casual contact like hugging or kissing.
What are the early signs of leprosy?
Early signs of leprosy include light or reddish skin patches with loss of sensation, numbness, tingling, and reduced muscle strength in extremities.