Cyprus detects 8 out of 14 new cases through random sampling

The Cyprus health ministry announced 14 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, eight of which were detected through the random sampling program in full swing across all districts.

The new cases emerged after 3,387 laboratory tests were conducted to check collected samples for the virus.

Eight of Thursday’s new cases were identified from the islandwide random sampling program targeting 10,000 people, with just one positive case exhibiting symptoms. Two are Paphos residents, the third is from Larnaca, an additional two – a couple – are from Limassol, while three more who have no connection to each other are Nicosia residents.

An additional two were detected at Cyprus airports, involving an asymptomatic local couple who returned from Thessaloniki on Wednesday and got checked upon arrival.

The remaining four were found through contact tracing efforts. One was linked as a contact of the cluster formed by the woman who returned from the US, the second took the initiative to get tested after a family member tested positive, while the remaining two got tested as they attended a pool party where a coronavirus cluster was formed. The specific party led to a cluster of some five people.

The new cases raised total known cases in the Republic of Cyprus to 1,305. Currently, the Famagusta General Hospital is treating three coronavirus patients, one of which is in the ICU.