17 new cases, new restrictions in Larnaca, Famagusta

17 new coronavirus cases were detected on Friday, 14 of which through contact tracing.

The new cases emerged after a bulk of 2,412 tests were conducted, and raised total known cases in the Republic of Cyprus since the virus broke out in March to 1,789.

14 of Friday’s cases were detected among the 73 samples collected through contact tracing. Seven are family contacts of a case announced on Thursday, two of which are students of a private school in the Limassol district. Another contact is an employee of the Ethnikos Achnas football club, and forms part of the cluster formed there. Two more are family contacts of a case announced on September 29, involving a student of a Linopetra middle class. Two more contacts are family members of another case announced on September 29, while the final two contacts are family members of a football player for Ethnikos Achnas who was announced positive on September 26.

Two more cases were detected among the 1,784 samples collected at Cyprus airports. One involves a person who flew into Larnaca airport from London on September 30, while the second arrived in Paphos from Berlin on Thursday.

Another case was detected among the samples collected at general hospital, involving a person who developed a fever on Thursday night at visited the Larnaca general hospital.

The Famagusta district hospital is currently treating nine coronavirus patients, four of which are in the ICU. Another coronavirus patient is receiving treating in the Nicosia general hospital ICU, while one more coronavirus patient is receiving treatment in the general ward of another general hospital.

Restriction measures imposed on Larnaca and Famagusta district

With the epidemiological situation deteriorating in the Larnaca and Famagusta district, the health ministry on Friday piled on to the list of restrictive measures already in place in Larnaca, with the new measures to come into effect on Monday, October 5.

The new measures that will apply to the Larnaca and Famagusta districts are the following:

Training and matches are forbidden for athletes under the age of 18 for all team sports, such as football, basketball, handball, karate, and so on.

Afternoon sports activities organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, are not permitted.

Inspections at businesses and premises in the two districts will be boosted.

The health ministry strongly suggested that places where rehearsals or cultural events such as choirs and theatrical performances are held strictly follow measures in place.

Meanwhile, the health ministry also agreed to launch a random sampling program that will target 3,000 people at villages in the Larnaca and Famagusta district.