Cyprus mourns one more death, detects 220 new cases

The Republic of Cyprus saw one coronavirus fatality and 220 new cases on Thursday, which emerged among 12,099 tests and raised total cases detected to 9,673.

Thursday’s fatality involved an 84-year-old man with underlying conditions, but whose death was fully attributed to the virus. The coronavirus death toll reached 48 people, involving 32 men and 16 women of an average age of 75 years.

Of the 220 new cases detected, 45 involved people who had previously tested positive to a rapid test and whose infection was confirmed through a PCR test.

An additional two were detected at a nursing home in Nicosia’s Ayios Antonios area, where 35 others were detected on Wednesday.

The health ministry said that 5,935 tests conducted on Wednesday were PCR tests, among which 175 new cases emerged, while the remaining were rapid antigen tests.

Regarding the positive cases that emerged through PCR tests, 88 were contacts, 54 were people who took the initiative to get tested, seven got tested at general hospitals, and two were tested either as part of special health groups or upon the referral of their GP.

The program testing workers falling under exception categories to the Limassol and Paphos travel bans detected 13 cases in Limassol, two in Larnaca, two in Famagusta and three in Nicosia.

An additional two cases were detected through the program targeting school staff and students.

Cyprus hospitals are currently treating a total of 109 coronavirus patients, 60 of which are at the Famagusta general hospital, with four in the ICU. The Nicosia general hospital is also treating 28 patients, 17 of which are in the ICU where 14 are intubated. 17 more coronavirus patients are at the Limassol general hospital, while four more are at the Makario hospital in Nicosia.