Cypriot officials report no new cases

Authorities in the Republic of Cyprus announced they had no new confirmed COVID-19 cases to report on Saturday based on lab test results, while figures from repatriated persons were still pending.

(Click here for an update to the story)

According to the Cyprus News Agency, health ministry officials said they detected zero cases on Saturday after conducting 1613 laboratory tests including one repatriated person.

“On the basis of today’s data, the total number of positive cases remains at 980,” it was stated in a health ministry press release.

CNA reported that after testing 10 samples using the contact tracing method, all lab test results came back negative.

Another sample from a traveler also came back negative while more passengers and repatriated persons were not included in Saturday’s results at the time of the press release.

“From checking passengers, we got results for one sample,” officials said.

Three flights from Athens were scheduled to arrive on Saturday at Larnaca International Airport, while a Wizz Air flight from Luton landed in the early afternoon. An EgyptAir flight from Cairo also landed just before noon but CNA reported the plane was expected to be empty.

Health experts were alarmed during the week following reports that a number of repatriated persons were not adhering to health protocols including self-isolation. They were also puzzled over a case where a traveler, who came back to the island in May and initially tested negative, was found to be infected with the bug earlier this week.

Another 1602 tests came back negative out of a pool of 10,000 frontline workers, including employees at hairdressers, barbershops, beauty salons, tattoo parlours, and restaurants.

As of Saturday afternoon, two patients were being treated at Famagusta General Hospital which operates as a COVID-19 reference hospital, while two others remained on ventilators in the ICU at Nicosia General Hospital.

According to Turkish Cypriot media, new confirmed coronavirus cases continued to remain at zero in the north.