Nearly half the 180 samples taken from Larnaca General Hospital’s Pathology Ward have so far tested negative for Covid-19.
Some 83 samples from the 180 taken from staff and patients at the hospital tested negative for the coronavirus after a 75-year-old patient at the ward tested positive.
Giorgos Karotsakis, Executive Director General of the State Health Organisation said priority was given to the doctors, nurses and patients from the ward who had come in direct contact with the elderly man.
Fifteen doctors, 32 nurses and hospital staff are in self-isolation after coming into contact with the patient. More doctors and health staff are being drafted to the hospital.
The ICU and the rest of the hospital is operating with skeleton staff and non-emergency cases are referred to other state or private hospitals.
Karotsakis said virologists are 99% certain that the 75-year-old was already carrying the virus when he was admitted.
He said despite the Health Minister’s decree on social distancing, the man continued to frequent coffeeshops, endangering his and also other people’s lives while doctors who are now in self-isolation cannot perform their duties at the hospital.
Two patients were discharged from Famagusta General Hospital after having fully recovered from coronavirus.
A total of 21 patients are still in the Referral Hospital receiving treatment.
In Paphos, 21 patients are being treated at the general hospital, according to Joseph Moutiri, head of cardiology.
He told CNA that no new cases of coronavirus were reported in the last two days.
Two of Cyprus three Covid-19 deaths have been linked to the hospital where at least 20 medical staff were infected.
Several patients are expected to be discharged while others will be possibly transferred to Polis Chrysohous hospital.
Evacuations
Three flights departed from Larnaca on Thursday, carrying foreign nationals back home.A total of 103 passengers left for Kiev while another flight departed for Oslo, carrying 188 people.
A Lufthansa flight was scheduled to depart Thursday afternoon for Frankfurt, carrying 130 passengers.
Three flights arrived on Wednesday from Moscow, Belgrade and Athens carrying 61 people and left with 248 people.
All passenger flights into Cyprus were banned on March 21 for 14 days.
