COVID19: Cyprus struggles to keep lid on new cases

Struggling to contain an outbreak on several fronts as the virus spreads Cyprus on Wednesday reported 15 new COVID-19 cases, following 25 the previous day.

Wednesday’s cases resulted from a total of 3,132 tests carried out, bringing the total to 1,195.

Seven of the new infections have a connection to previously identified COVID-19 cases, without the health authorities saying whether they are related to one of the clusters in Larnaca or Limassol.

They were identified out of 186 tests carried out on contacts of known cases, with one of the cases, however, being tested privately.

Another two cases involve Cypriots with recent travel history, one arriving on Tuesday from Amsterdam, and the other returning from Greece on 29 July.

Two more cases involve migrants residing at the refugee reception facility in Pournara, Nicosia.

They were transferred to the COVID-19 rehabilitation centre in Tersefanou, Larnaca.

Another two cases involve patients who were tested after developing symptoms.

One was referred by their GP while the second person was tested at a private lab.

Two more cases involved people who tested privately without symptoms, with one asked to get tested by their employer before assuming duties while the other went for a test before travelling abroad.

According to the Health Ministry, there are now four patients being treated at Famagusta General, the reference hospital for COVID-19.