US Embassy in Havana warns of increase in intestinal diseases in Cuba due to energy and water crisis

A man waits for a taxi and uses his cell phone as a light after Cuba's power grid collapsed late Sunday, plunging the island of about 10 million people into darkness as blackouts become more frequent, in Havana, Cuba, August 3, 2026. — Photo: REUTERS/Norlys Perez

The United States Embassy in Havana issued a health alert for Cuba on Friday, warning travelers and residents about an increase in intestinal illnesses and cases of diarrhea caused by problems with the water and electricity supply, as the Trump administration continues to restrict the shipment of fuels needed for power generation on the island.

“The United States Embassy has observed a significant increase in diarrheal diseases in Cuba, associated with the continued deterioration of water and energy infrastructure,” the alert stated. “This deterioration affects water supplies, as well as food storage and temperature control.”

The American warning comes nine months after the Trump administration imposed a blockade on the supply of fuel to the island governed by the communist regime, a measure that contributed to a sharp increase in blackouts and made it difficult to refrigerate food and adopt sanitary measures in homes and commercial establishments.

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Independent human rights experts appointed by the UN have called Trump's fuel blockade a violation of international law. In August, a group of UN experts warned of the growing risk of disease outbreaks on the island as the United States tightens sanctions.

“The humanitarian consequences are already turning into a widespread crisis, threatening the rights to health, life, food and development,” the experts said.

The Trump administration claims that the sanctions are necessary to force a change in the Cuban government, an objective pursued for decades by the United States since the revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959. Trump classified Cuba as a threat to the national security of the United States.

Residents of different regions of Cuba have been complaining for months about widespread illnesses that cause days of diarrhea, fever and body aches, leaving many people bedridden.

During the hot and muggy Caribbean summer, sleeping without air conditioning or a fan often becomes impossible, as does preserving food without refrigeration. Blackouts lasting days have become common amid the US fuel blockade.

This Friday's United States health alert recommended that travelers and residents in Cuba be "careful with [...] perishable foods that may have been stored inappropriately" and warned them to avoid consuming "foods that appear to have remained at room temperature for long periods."