COVID19: Cyprus cases rise again to 4, days before airports re-open

With just two days to go as Cyprus opens its airports to international passengers for the first time since lockdown, the number of COVID-19 cases has once again risen to four, from none the day before.

The Ministry of Health announced Sunday that three of the cases were discovered from among 518 tests conducted on repatriates, while one case arose from contact-tracing from among a wider circle of people with ties to confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases.

This brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Cyprus since March to 964.

One death had been reported on Saturday, a patient said to have underlying health issues, with no new COVID-19 cases reported, bringing the death toll to 25.

The ministry said that it continues to conduct tests on various groups, according to their exposure to the public, including 771 on workers in hair or nail salons and eateries, 632 on students, staff and teachers who have returned to school, 116 at state hospitals, 60 from private initiatives and 187 from among GPs and specialist doctors.

The ministry added that three patients remain in special care at the Famagusta General hospital’s coronavirus ward, two patients remain intubated at Nicosia General and one is still in intensive care.