Report shows Limassol covid situation not improving

A total of 2,340 coronavirus cases were diagnosed in Cyprus between February 17 and March 2, with the 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate increasing to 263.5 per 100,000 population.
 
According to the National Surveillance Report published Friday by the Ministry of Health, since the outbreak of the pandemic and until March 2, a total of 34,776 coronavirus cases were diagnosed, of which 232 died due to their infection. The case fatality risk stands at 0.7%.

Coronavirus fatalities involved 155 men (66.8%) and 77 (33.2%) women; the median age of all COVID-19 associated deaths was 81 years. By district of residence, deceased cases were 79 (34.1%) from Nicosia, 69 (29.7%) from Limassol, 42 (18.1%) from Larnaca, 18 (7.8%) from Paphos, 15 (6.5%) from Famagusta, and nine deaths (3.9%) occurred among cases reported either in the British bases or had a residence abroad, or information was not available.
 
The Ministry of Health notes that the weekly positivity rate of rapid tests is rising from 0.2% last week to 0.4% this week, while in Limassol the rate rose from 0.5% to 0.8%. The transmission rate is estimated at 1.59 (1.51-1.67).
 
The cumulative impact over the two week period between February 17 and March 2 increased to 263.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 168.7/100,000 last week. Nicosia, Famagusta, Larnaca and Paphos are below the 150/100,000 safety threshold set by ECDC, there is however an increase in comparison to last week.
 
In particular, the cumulative impact in Nicosia is 134.5/100,000 (up from 81.4/100,000), in Larnaca 91.9/100,000 (up from 65.8 /100,000), in Famagusta 61.3/100,000 (up from 36.8/100,000), in Paphos 77.6/100,000 (up from 34.6/100,000).
 
In Limassol the burden of disease is very high, with the cumulative impact going beyond the 500/100,000 threshold to 641.2/100,000, which is depicted by ECDC with dark red, signalling high cause for concern.
 
The cumulative impact of the two-week period marked a significant increase among people aged 20-60 and among those under 19 years old, with the latter being attributed to clusters found in schools.
 
The situation in hospitals is for the moment manageable, the Ministry notes. It is noted, however, that the majority of those hospitalised are in Limassol, where 72% of the total, or 67 cases, are being treated.

During the two-week period, 34,457 PCR and 446,286 rapid antigen tests were performed (3,880.3 RT PCR and 50,257.4 rapid antigen tests per 100,000 population).
 
The National Surveillance Report notes that the median age of the 2,340 cases diagnosed during the two-week period was 36 years, while 50.6% were females (1,183), and 49.3% males (1,154). Additionally, 0.9% or 22 cases were imported and 99.1% (2,318) were locally-acquired.

Of those 2,340 cases diagnosed since February 17, 519 were infants, children and adolescents aged 0-19 years- old (22.2%), 1,480 were adults aged 20-59 years (63.2%), 340 were persons aged 60 years and older (14.5%), and for one case information is not currently available. The median age of adult cases is 41 years.
 
Further, 1,592 (68%) were reported in Limassol district, 466 (19.9%) in Nicosia, 137 (5.9%) in Larnaca, 74 (3.2%) in Paphos, 30 (1.3%) in Famagusta, and 41 (1.8%) were reported either in the British bases or had a residence abroad, or information was not available.

In total, 5.2% (1,794) of people with COVID-19 received hospital care by March 4. The median age of hospitalized patients was 65 years. Hospitalized cases were mainly males (1,043; 58.1%).

Overall, 185 cases (10.3% of all hospitalized patients) have been admitted to ICU. The median age of patients ever admitted to ICU was 69 years. ICU patients were mainly male (126; 68.1%). The overall median length of stay in ICU (for all ICU cases) was 15 days.
 
On March 4, and based on records which rapidly evolve, 13 cases were still in ICU, of a median age of 63 years. Twelve (92.3%) patients currently in ICU have pre-existing conditions. The number of cases currently in ICU is 1.5 per 100,000 population.
  
Up to March 4, among cases alive, 90.1% (31,090) of coronavirus cases have recovered/released from isolation.