COVID19: New Cyprus case recently returned from Albania

Cyprus health authorities confirmed only one new COVID-19 case on Tuesday, an Albanian resident returning via Greece.

The country’s only case involves an Albanian citizen, permanently residing in Cyprus, who was tested at the airport after arriving from Albania via Athens on Monday.

The positive case was detected from 1,754 laboratory tests carried out on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections recorded in Cyprus since the outbreak to 1,023.

Another 378 tests carried out on other passengers and repatriated Cypriots came back negative.

According to epidemiological data, no positive cases were detected from 511 lab tests on employees who went back to work during phase two and three of easing restrictive measures, or 110 tests carried out by the Microbiological Labs of general hospitals.

Also returned negative were 329 samples taken by people who sought to be tested privately and 271 tests completed as part of referrals from GPs and special groups screening at public health centres.

The Ministry of Health also said it had carried out 154 tests on contacts of known coronavirus cases without identifying a new infection.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said it would be doubling the number of random Covid-19 tests on arrivals from Group A and B countries from 300 to 600 a day.

It said the decision was taken on the advice of the team of scientists advising the government on the coronavirus pandemic.

Currently, passengers from Group A countries do not need to present a negative coronavirus test, but those coming from Group B countries must provide one no older than 72 hours.

Authorities have been carrying out 300 random tests daily among both groups to better monitor the situation.

All arrivals from category C countries, from which only Cypriots and legal residents are allowed to travel from, undergo a test and must also self-isolate for 14 days.

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