COVID19: Cyprus keeps the virus at bay

Cyprus has stemmed the spread of coronavirus in the community after reporting zero COVID-19 cases on Saturday for a fifth consecutive day.

The encouraging news comes as Cyprus further eased travel restrictions for tourists coming into the country with no need for health certificates from specific countries like Greece and Germany.

The last hospital ICU patient was sent to an isolated ward on Friday, pending the results of a COVID-19 test he underwent.

There are now no patients on a ventilator to help them breathe.

Cyprus health authorities reported zero cases after conducting 808 tests, which is less than the average.

It is the tenth time that Cyprus has reported zero infections which means the total number of positive cases remains at 985 and 19 deaths.

The Health Ministry said that according to epidemiological data, no cases were detected after testing 16 samples from contact tracing of known cases, 192 samples were negative from testing passengers or people recently repatriated, as were 101 tests on students and school staff.

Also coming back negative was 45 samples from the general hospital microbiology labs, as were 125 tests on people belonging to special groups referred by their GPs through public health centres and 179 more through private initiative.

Just one patient is currently being treated at Famagusta General which operates as the reference hospital for COVID-19.

No patients are currently being treated in an Intensive Care Unit.