COVID19: Only new Cyprus case linked to Romania

Cyprus health authorities announced on Saturday one new confirmed COVID-19 case, a close contact of someone who had travelled from Romania recently.

The positive case was detected from 1,748 laboratory tests carried out, bringing the total number of infections since the outbreak to 1,014.

The individual who tested positive was a close contact of a person who arrived from Romania and was in Cyprus until July 6.

After returning to Romania, the woman was informed that her mother had contracted the virus there.

When the woman arrived in Cyprus, she had presented a negative coronavirus test, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Health said it had carried out six tests on contacts of known coronavirus cases.

A total of 403 tests were carried out on private initiative.

According to epidemiological data, no positive cases were detected from 607 lab tests on employees who went back to work during phase two and three of easing restrictive measures, or 43 tests carried out by the Microbiological Labs of the general hospitals.

Also returned negative were 454 samples taken from passengers and repatriates and 144 tests completed as part of referrals from GPs and special groups screening at public health centres.

No patient was admitted to Famagusta General, the referral hospital for COVID-19, which saw its only patient discharged on Tuesday.