Coronavirus cluster grows to 18 persons

Seven new coronavirus cases were detected on Friday, when 3,039 tests were conducted, raising total known cases in the Republic of Cyprus since the virus broke out in March to 1,565.

Three of Friday’s new cases were detected through contact tracing, another three among samples collected from people who took the initiative to get tested, while one was detected among the samples collected at general hospitals.

Among those who took the initiative to get tested was an asymptomatic player for the local football club Nea Salamina. The player arrived in Cyprus from Angola via Portugal and Vienna on September 14.

Another person took the initiative to get tested after developing symptoms, while the third who got tested on their own initiative tested positive despite being asymptomatic and not coming into contact with another known case.

Multiple coronavirus clusters growing

Among the positive cases detected through contact tracing efforts is a co-worker of the Ocean Basket Finikoudes employees who have also been reported positive. The specific cluster currently involves three people, as the first restaurant employee was announced positive on Tuesday and the second on Thursday. The health ministry noted that the cases announced on Thursday and Friday were already in self-isolation as they were close contacts of the case announced Tuesday.

The remaining two contacts are related to the cluster that began forming on September 9, with Friday’s cases not being direct contacts of the first case that set off the chain, but forming a separate ‘branch’ of the cluster that now includes 18 cases.

The Famagusta general hospital is currently treating six patients, one of which is in the ICU, while another coronavirus patient is receiving treatment in the Nicosia general hospital ICU.