Performances by the National Ballet of Cuba are cancelled due to the “unforeseen indisposition” of several artists
14ymedio/SwingCompleto, Havana, November 9, 2025 — Cuba’s National Baseball Series experienced another interruption to its schedule. This Saturday, the game between Granma and Mayabeque was suspended because one of the viruses circulating in the country affected a large part of the Alazanes’ roster.
The news was reported this Saturday by pro-government journalist Wilber Pastrana, although he avoided mentioning the cause of the illness. “There are no games today or tomorrow at Nelson Fernández Stadium. Several Granma athletes are sick, including the team’s three catchers. The games will be played at the end of the qualifying stage.”
The Alazanes de Granma lost their first three games of the subseries and it was supposed to continue this weekend, but physical discomfort took hold of a significant part of the team’s roster.
The Granma team had a visit to the Isle of Youth scheduled for next week, but now “it is being considered that Granma will return to its province.”
Pastrana also mentioned that the Granma team had a visit to the Isle of Youth scheduled for next week, but that now “they are considering returning to their province. If things remain this way, they will not make the trip to the Isle of Youth.” The reporter concluded his message with the phrase: “The athletes’ health will always come first.”
The 64th National Series has faced numerous challenges since its inception. For one, it was moved on the calendar for the first time, starting six months later than usual. Furthermore, several games have been postponed due to unforeseen issues with hotel capacity in cities like Las Tunas, transportation problems stemming from poor road conditions or fuel shortages, and nationwide power outages.
Regarding the impact of the various viruses on the island, the National Series is not the only event that has had to suspend its activities. The National Ballet of Cuba announced this Saturday the cancellation of its performances scheduled for this weekend, after confirming that several of its dancers are also ill “in the context of the current epidemiological situation.” The company acknowledged that, despite readjusting casts to maintain the performances, the “unforeseen illness” of more artists forced them to suspend the shows.
Despite readjusting casts to maintain the performances, the “unforeseen indisposition” of more artists forced the cancellation of the shows.
The announcement published in Cubadebate points out that “the suspension underscores the ongoing challenges faced by cultural institutions and large groups in maintaining their live seasons in the face of unforeseen health issues affecting their casts.”
This week, health authorities acknowledged a significant increase in cases of chikungunya, dengue, and other arboviruses in the country. Deputy Minister of Public Health Carilda Peña García reported that more than 20,000 cases of chikungunya have been registered, with the highest incidence in Havana, Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Artemisa, and Villa Clara. The announcement came somewhat late, more than a month after the United States issued a travel alert for Cuba due to the surge in infections.
Similarly, it was clarified that “there are no reports of oropouche,” although until now it was one of the possible ailments of the population and, he assured, “surveillance is maintained on that disease.”
However, the number reported by the authorities could pale in comparison to the citizen complaints circulating daily on social media, where residents of different territories in the country claim that entire families remain ill.
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