COVID19: Cluster created by USA woman reaches 30

Cyprus on Saturday confirmed another 11 new COVID-19 cases including four infections connected to the woman who returned from the USA and violated quarantine rules to socialise.

The Health Ministry said the woman has created her own cluster of coronavirus cases which has now reached 30.

“This shows how easily the virus can be transmitted by a single person who does not comply with the quarantine and other measures,” a ministry statement said.

The USA is category C country which means only people with special permission, residents and Cypriots are allowed entry into Cyprus.

Cypriots must be tested on arrival and then enter into 14 days of self-isolation; the woman did not do this but instead organised a birthday party and attended other social gatherings.

The Justice Ministry says Larnaca police are studying the case file, but no action has yet been taken.

A total 3,314 tests were carried out on Saturday bringing the number of infections to 1,233 and 19 deaths.

Since lifting travel restrictions and limits on social gatherings, Cyprus has seen COVID-19 steadily spread within the community since July with the majority of cases aged under 40.

Two of the new infections have a recent travel history one involving a Cypriot who returned from the UK and UAE national who travelled from Dubai.

They were detected via private initiative as were two others including a Greek national.

Six more cases were identified out of 144 tests carried out on contacts of known cases with four infections connected to the USA woman.

The Health Ministry did not clarify where the other two were from.

One case involved an employee who returned to work during the second and third stage of lifting the lockdown.

This person had no symptoms and did not serve the public.

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

They are said to be in a “good stable condition”.