COVID19: Cyprus keeps cases low, tests high

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Coronavirus cases in Cyprus remained in the single-digit range on Thursday as health authorities announced only seven new COVID-19 infections, one up from the previous day.

After spiking to 15 on Tuesday, numbers have dropped back down, allowing scientists to remain confident that authorities can relax restrictive measures and contain the outbreak.

The seven new COVID-19 cases bring the total of confirmed infections in the Cyprus Republic to 850 since the outbreak on March 9. The death toll remains at 15.

The seven positive cases were detected from 2,454 tests.

Four people tested positive from tracing of already confirmed cases – from 195 tests – whereas one was found positive through the tests run by the microbiological labs of all General Hospitals.

Another case involved a person who was recently repatriated, and one involved a person who was identified through tests carried out via private initiative.

One case was found among tests carried out on health professionals.

The Health Ministry said it carried out another 306 tests within the initial testing scheme for 20,000 frontline workers.

Since April 11, some 17,907 out of the initial 20,000-test programmed have been done.

Another 384 were carried out on Thursday in the framework of 2,000 extra tests paid for by the state for workers in the food and beverage chain of supply.

Health Ministry advisors said that results were within the expectations of the epidemiological committee and the road map for lifting the lockdown will not be affected at the current stage.

Dr Marios Loizou of the Cyprus State Health Services Organisation OKYPY said 14 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. One patient was discharged on Thursday.

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 ICU, without being on a ventilator.

All the ICU patients are critical but stable.

Loizou told people to stay home and not congregate outside during Friday’s May 1 holiday.