COVID19: Cyprus sees highest daily rise with 13 cases

Cyprus on Monday saw its biggest daily spike in coronavirus cases with 13 people testing positive including 10 medical staff at Paphos General Hospital who treated an elderly patient in intensive care.

The 13 new cases bring the total number in the Republic to 46 and six confirmed cases in the Turkish-held north taking the combined figure to 52.

The majority of new cases were 10 health professionals at Paphos General Hospital who came into contact with a 70-year-old patient who contracted the disease.

Another case was also a patient at Paphos General who came into contact with the man in ICU.

The other two cases were people who had returned from overseas (United Kingdom and Greece) and had symptoms, said the Health Ministry.

The Department of Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health has already started tracking the contacts and all 13 cases.

In coordination with the Public Health Service, the situation at Paphos General Hospital will be reassessed for further action.

Paphos hospital ceased operations for 48 hours on Sunday after the patient tested positive.

The head of Paphos General Hospital’s cardiological department Joseph Moutiris had suggested health professionals at the hospital have tested positive for coronavirus.

Moutiris posted on Facebook that “initial test results of the medical staff at the hospital are not so good”.

A large number of medical staff took the coronavirus test after the 70-year-old British patient in ICU tested positive for COVID-19.

His condition worsened soon after he was visited by a family who had just returned from the UK.

Paphos General suspended its operation for 48 hours to undergo a deep clean.

Meanwhile, Paphos mayor Phedon Phedonos also posted on social media a call to residents to limit their movements and social contacts as “coronavirus cases in Paphos have increased significantly”.