Student, nurse, football player test positive for virus

A Larnaca special school was on high alert on Wednesday after a student tested positive for coronavirus prior to being admitted for surgery, with 31 people, among them teachers and students, to remain in quarantine and the school to remain closed until Thursday.

After the student tested positive, the health ministry and the school management rushed into action, locking down and disinfecting school, and tracing down all possible contacts.

On Wednesday morning, the health ministry announced two additional coronavirus cases that it was informed of late on Tuesday. In addition to the student, it also that a football player for the local first division club Ethnikos Achnas had also tested positive for the virus after developing symptoms.

Later on Wednesday, the health ministry announced yet another new case that emerged late on Tuesday afternoon, involving a nurse of the Larnaca general hospital’s endoscopy department, which was shut down for disinfection and will remain out of operation for seven days, while the nurse will remain in isolation for two weeks.

Two patients that were receiving treatment at the endoscopy department were transferred via ambulance to the Limassol general hospital, while the rest were transferred to the Nicosia general.

Patients who had scheduled appointments with the departments will be called to re-schedule.

The health ministry said it has already launched efforts to trace the nurse’s contacts, including co-workers, family members, and patients.

These three cases pile onto the 15 already announced on Tuesday, nine of which formed part of a cluster currently consisting of 20 cases involving players and staff of the Nea Salamina football club.