Private Paphos hospital halts admissions after rapid tests emerge positive

A routine rapid test for coronavirus conducted at the Blue Cross Medical Centre in Paphos for preventative reasons emerged positive for one patient and two members of staff, with the hospital undergoing disinfection and halting patient admissions.

According to the Director of the hospital Giorgos Kaniklides, the two members of staff were asked were immediately isolated and are waiting on results from samples sent for testing at the Institute of Neurology and Genetics, in order to confirm the reading of the rapid test which is not fully reliable.

Regarding the patient that may also carry the virus, Kaniklides said that he was transferred to the private hospital’s ICU from the Paphos General Hospital’s A&E department.

Once the rapid test showed the patient was positive for coronavirus, the management of the Blue Cross contacted the 1420 coronavirus hotline, which arranged to have the patient transferred to a Covid-19 reference hospital.

Kanklides noted that the management of the private hospital decided to halt patient admissions and to take all necessary measures including the disinfection of the hospital premises, while staff will also be re-tested.

Once the situation has cleared out, Kanaklides said, the Blue Cross will only be accepting patients from the Paphos General Hospital if they have been tested for the virus and are negative.