Cyprus is winning the fight to contain the coronavirus outbreak reporting zero cases of COVID-19 on Thursday with the total number of infections remaining at 958.
Health authorities have managed to reach zero cases before but have failed to stay there for more than a day.
Scientists said they were pleased to announce that no cases had been identified in the past 24 hours.
The Health Ministry announced that some 1,906 tests were carried out on Thursday, including 1,074 tests conducted on school students and teachers.
On Wednesday, concerns arose among school students and parents as two cases were found at schools in the Larnaca district.
As of Thursday, 16,474 students and teachers have been tested.
The breakdown of the 1,906 tests returning a negative result is:
- 299 tests from hairdressers and catering
- 1074 tests on students, teachers, and other school staff
- 3 tests in retail and construction
- 8 tests on repatriated Cypriots
- 164 tests from private initiative
- 218 tests from the labs of general hospitals
- 141 tests from referrals of GPs and special groups through the public health centres
- 97 tests conducted on contacts of known cases
Presenting the good news, epidemiologist, and advisor to the government on coronavirus, Dr Leontios Kostrikis, said he was pleased to announce zero cases in the last live news conference since the outbreak in March.
“On behalf of the scientific team, I would like to thank the President of the Republic and the Health Minister for their cooperation.
We are very pleased with the outcome of the effort and we are entitled to be optimistic. We hope we do not have to meet again under similar circumstances,” said Kostrikis.
Dr Marios Loizou of the State Health Services Organisation wished to thank all health workers who “were fighting on the frontline, holding our hand while we fought for our lives”.
“I hope everything goes well for all of us. We must keep our distance, wash our hands, wear our mask the proper way and keep moving forward,” added Loizou.
There are currently four COVID-19 patients at the referral hospital in Famagusta and another three intubated in the ICU of Nicosia General Hospital.
