Despite a spike in new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, health experts are confident Cyprus is still on the right track to overcoming the COVID-19 outbreak and proceed with lifting restrictive measures.
Cyprus health authorities reported 15 more infections on Tuesday, up from five the previous day.
The 15 positive cases were detected from 2,999 tests, bringing the total of confirmed infections in the Cyprus Republic to 837 since the outbreak on March 9.
The death toll still remains at 15.
Six people tested positive from tracing of already confirmed cases whereas no one was found positive through the tests run by the microbiological labs of all General Hospitals. Some 237 tests were carried out on contacts of known cases.
The Health Ministry said two cases were confirmed from 727 tests within the framework of tests for frontline workers.
Since April 11, some 17,014 out of the 22,000-test programmed to be carried out.
Four cases were identified from tests carried out at private labs. These cases involve frontline workers and were identified from some 920 tests.
Another two were found after 210 tests carried out at laboratories at public hospitals.
One case involved a person who was repatriated recently.
Health Ministry advisor Dr Leontios Kostrikis said that Tuesday’s results are within the expectations of the epidemiological committee and the road map for lifting restrictive measures will go ahead as planned.
Dr Marios Loizou of the Cyprus State Health Services Organisation OKYPY said 15 patients are hospitalized at the Famagusta COVID-19 reference hospital, one of whom is in the Advanced Care Unit (ACU).
Their condition is described as generally stable.
Four patients were discharged on Tuesday.
Four people are now intubated, one of whom is at the ICU of Limassol General Hospital and three at the ICU in Nicosia General Hospital.
Two more patients are being treated at Nicosia General Hospital ICU, without being on a ventilator.
All the ICU patients are critical but stable.
Latest data
Meanwhile, the downward trend in cases is also recorded in the latest epidemiological data released by the Health Ministry, up to 26 April.
It suggests that the hotspot of Aradippou village in Larnaca, still has the most cases compared to its 20,000 population, with some 458.3 cases for every 100,000.
The second most cases for every 100,000 inhabitants is Paphos with 121.1 cases, followed by Larnaca with 106.1, Nicosia with 63.8, Famagusta comes in fifth with 47.7, followed by Limassol 20.8.
Cyprus coronavirus mortality rate stands at 2.2% of all reported cases, with 20 patients that contracted COVID-19 having passed away (but only 15 of these deaths were directly caused by the virus).
The median age of all cases is 4 (interquartile range: 32-60 years).
By age groups, children and adolescents aged 0-17 make up 6% of all cases, adults aged 18-59 were 69%, and people aged 60 and older 25%.
In total, 3.8% of cases, or 31 patients were hospitalised in ICU.
The Health Ministry reported that some 5,561 tests are being carried out for every 100,000 inhabitants.
The virus did not distinguish between men and women as 50% of cases are male and 50% female but more men have died from coronavirus.
