Front line workers undergo round of precautionary testing

Coronavirus testing on health professionals and staff of state hospitals is well underway, with 548 tests conducted over the last two days.

According to Bambos Charilaou, spokesman for the Cyprus State Health Services Organisation, testing on those in the front lines will continue through Tuesday in the Paphos and Famagusta state hospitals, where workers are being tested anew after the round of testing that was conducted after coronavirus cases emerged there.

Some 6,500 health professionals and hospital staff are to be tested, as part of the 20,000 tests that will be performed on employees of businesses that were not included in the widespread suspension of operations.

On Monday, 272 samples were collected, 120 of which were from the Limassol General Hospital, and 78 from the Larnaca state hospital.

An additional 276 tests were conducted on Sunday, the majority of which were from the Nicosia General.

Currently, the Famagusta General hospital, the island’s coronavirus centre, is hosting 21 coronavirus patients, two of which were in the hospital’s ICU.

Three coronavirus patients, as well as three suspected cases are being treated in the Limassol hospital’s ICU, where an additional 18 suspected cases are being treated in a special ward.

Additionally, 23 suspected coronavirus cases are being treated in the Larnaca General Hospital, were a health professional and a patient had tested positive for the virus on Monday.