COVID19: Cyprus Republic cases rise to 84

With nine new cases reported on Saturday the Cyprus Republic now has a total of 84 coronavirus cases, the Health Ministry said.

According to the update received by the Cyprus Ministry of Health, three of the new cases of coronavirus were identified through tracing contacts of people already infected.

One case was a health professional at Paphos General Hospital, and another was someone who developed symptoms then contacted the authorities.

The nurse contracted the disease after attending to a 65-year-old British patient at Paphos hospital ICU who tested positive following a visit by relatives from the UK.

This patient has transmitted the virus to a dozen doctors and nurses forcing the hospital to close.

Also, among the new cases were four people who arrived from the UK, Poland and Spain contacted the health authorities after developing symptoms.

The Ministry of Health’s Epidemiological Surveillance Unit said it has already begun tracking the contacts of all nine cases and will proceed with sampling for specialised tests.

Since the outbreak started on March 9 the Cyprus Republic has 84 positive cases (including three identified in the British Bases), of which 48 contracted the virus on the island.

Divided Cyprus has now registered 117 coronavirus cases after Turkish Cypriot authorities reported 33 people infected in the north.

Cyprus was the last EU country to get coronavirus when its outbreak began earlier this month. There have been no recorded deaths.