I just had my wife, Yudith, tell me that our casa there in Camaguey city was fumigated this morning only moments ago for the first time in several months. Finally! It's good to know that the government there is doing something to help combat the mosquito and virus problem that's been terrorizing everyone in our barrio. Hopefully they can blast our casa with the fumigation fog one more time just before I arrive too later in December. Fingers, toes, and eyes crossed!

What have the rest of you been hearing about the fumigations happening elsewhere in Cuba? Are they? I hope that's happening now everywhere across the island! Terry

I have heard that this is happening in Havana too. Hope they can keep it up. They really also need to deal with the standing water problem and the garbage issues as well to futher combat the mosquitos.

This is a big plus and hopefully the fumigation is happening all over Cuba. I look forward to my off-resort time.

Have there been reports of these mosquito problems happening at resorts? Do they ever fumigate at resorts?

Wess, I think the resorts in Cuba are regularly receiving the best of everything that can be thrown at them. No worries. The resort world in Cuba is the alternative universe to the reality that's gripping the rest of the island, and especially within the interior east of Havana. Tourists on the resorts are well cared for and kept rather insulated from that reality.

Simon, I remember reading an article a week ago... I can't remember from where... but it was a report that the Cuban authorities in not only Havana, but elsewhere across the island, had been directed in concert to begin the cleanup of all of the garbage dumps in the middle of roadways, etc. within all of the cities to also do battle with the mosquito problems. The article made it clear that there was a direct relation between the mosquito borne viruses that have been plaguing Cuba of late, and those garbage heaps. So I imagine that work is now ongoing. My wife there told me today that it takes the deaths of enough Cubans there to finally get the government motivated to do something.

I remember being there in Camaguey city last holiday season when I went out on one of my many walk-abouts within our surrounding barrios and came upon this one street that had a 1 story high pyramid shaped pile of garbage in the center of the avenue that stretched down the road for perhaps 1,000 yards. Car and motorcycle traffic could still get past it on either side, but it blew my mind that it was even there at all. I bumped into a Cuban buddy of mine, Pepo, there at that moment just by chance... his casa being around the corner from that trash heap. He just laughed at my absolute disgust. But hopefully I won't see that enormous pile there this year when I pay Pepo another visit to eat his bananas from his trees and drink his beer again on his terrace too. Terry

Unfortunately I've seen many massive piles of garbage in various cities around Cuba. I've seen first hand one of the "solutions" to this problem. It was set on fire.

I have never seen these heaps upon piles of trash that Simon and Terry talk about, not that I was looking for such things. Yes a little fuego could go a long way.

I have a momento from fumigations in Cuba. I was at my favourite casa in Santiago when we were told to abandon ship for a little while while the fumigators came in for a spray. The were carrying machines that looked like leaf blowers and did the job fairly quickly. Upon entering my room later I noticed my light coloured pants had a black round stain on them a bit bigger than a loonie. This apparently was from the fumigator blasting while touching my pants. Many years later, I still have those pants and still the big black dot on them. It wouldn’t wash out. When people now ask me why I have a big black dot on my pants I just reply; mosquitoes!!

jaja That's funny, CubanWaters. Yea, I've seen the guy doing the fumigating of our casa before many times too, and yes, their machine does look somewhat like a leaf-blower... kinda like the portable dry ice fog machines that I remember from my youth when pulling all-nighters and clubbing in downtown Toronto too. Of course those fumigation machines in Cuba are producing that fog from oil - it's conceivable that a drip of that oil landed on your pants... collateral damage. But it's funny that you still have that big black dot - on pants that still FIT YOU? - as a memoria of your time in Santiago de Cuba. I've had to bump up a few sizes over the years with my hand-me-downs going to Maikel, mi mejor amigo en Cam, because even though he's now quit smoking, he's still muy flaco. I used to have a six pack - now I have a keg. Terry

Video depicting fumigations and the strain on the health system...

Great video cubanwaters thanks. Hoping all the best this new year for the people of Cuba!!!

I have heard similar reports from other cities. Fumigation usually comes in waves before peak mosquito season. It helps short term, but consistency matters. Hopefully they repeat it before you arrive.

James, I agree with everything you said about the need for every other day consistency with the fumigations in order to have a positive impact on knocking down the mosquitoes - at least that's the way it used to be in the past. But no such luck with that now due to the shortage of petroleum. I just got back from Camaguey city last night after living there with my Cuban wife for 24 days - the fumigation guys never visited our casa even once to do the fogging while I was there. Still, because it much cooler there now, and it almost didn't rain at all during those 3+ weeks, the mosquitoes were no longer as thick as thieves anymore. They were around, so I still had to be proactive with swatting them whenever seen - especially in the bano - it was a mosquito jamboree in there every day. I'd go in there every morning and close the door with my chancleta in hand and whisper... tu culo es mio ahora. Killed 30 in one go in there one day. Terry

Quote……I noticed my light coloured pants had a black round stain on them a bit bigger than a loonie. This apparently was from the fumigator blasting while touching my pants. Many years later, I still have those pants and still the big black dot on them.


I took those pants with the black dot ⚫️ one more time to Cuba, wore them, and finally stuck them on a fence somewhere on 23rd street in Vedado. They are somebody else’s pants now. I’m sure they are wondering where the black dot came from.