Latest numbers boost morale in Cyprus

Only one person was found to be infected with the coronavirus in the latest random testing in the Republic of Cyprus, reassuring experts that they are getting closer to winning the fight against the pandemic.

According to lab results announced on Tuesday, one person tested positive out of 893 samples in the south, which were part of a pool of 20,000 targeted tests on workers on the front lines.

No new cases were announced in the north, while the latest numbers in the south also included 11 individuals who tested positive out of 202 people through contact tracing, according to Leondios Kostrikis, a virology professor at the University of Cyprus and government consultant.

"We are on a very good path," Kostrikis said.

But the professor stopped short of calling the development a non-reversible situation, saying that any possible new infections from decree violations during Easter would not emerge until next week.

Kostrikis offered remarks on the eleven cases through contact tracing, which was numerically higher than previous days, saying those were "not as bad" as cases confirmed through random sampling.

Marios Loizou, a state medical executive, clarified that contact tracing can sometimes lead to a high number of infections originating from just one individual carrier.

“Our goal is to reach the lowest possible number of positive cases through the method of contact tracing,” Loizou said.

The state official told reporters that in addition to fewer confirmed cases, hospital admissions were also down.

“That means we can start planning wisely for the next day without forgetting that we have a long way ahead of us,” Loizou said.