Since July, 48.1% of Cyprus coronavirus cases were asymptomatic while the average age of those diagnosed with the virus was 31, according to the Health Ministry’s latest Epidemiological Report.
The median age of cases since March is 39, justifying the Ministry’s decision to launch a targeted scheme of 5,000 COVID-19 tests among those aged 18-40 where crowds gather such as bars, restaurants, shopping malls and universities.
Since July the majority of cases (31.4%) have been among the 20-29 age group with a mean age of 31.
The latest report prepared by the Ministry’s Epidemiological Surveillance Unit with data until September 8 noted that of 1,511 COVID-19 cases, 209 people or 13.8% have received hospital care since the outbreak in March.
The median age of all hospitalised patients is 62 years and 62.7% were male.
The transmission rate has also come down to 0.68 from August 31 – September 6, at its peak one person with coronavirus was infecting up to three people.
Keep the transmission rate under one is considered a success.
Some 29 patients who contracted COVID-19 have died (case fatality rate: 1.9%), but the virus was the underlying cause of 22 deaths.
The mortality rate in Cyprus currently stands at 3.3 per 100,000 population.
Twenty-two deaths (75.9%) occurred in men and seven (24.1%) in women; the median age of all deaths was 76.
Eleven deaths were reported among residents in Larnaca, eight in Paphos, five in Nicosia, three in Famagusta, and two in Limassol.
The report also noted that out of the 513 coronavirus cases reported in Cyprus from July 1 to September 8, a total of 196 or 38% of cases were imported, 287 (56%) were locally acquired and the source of infection was unknown for 30 cases (6%).
Among all cases, 492 (32.6%) were reported in the Nicosia district, 388 (25.%) in Larnaca, 266 (17.6%) in Limassol, 186 (12.3%) in Paphos, 83 (5.5%) in Famagusta and 96 (6.4%) were reported either in the British bases or had a residence abroad, or information was not available.
Of the 1,511 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19-cases, clinical information is available for 98% (1,480), of which 39.7% (588) reported no symptoms at diagnosis and 60.3% (892) reported at least one symptom.
The most commonly reported symptoms were cough (26.8%) fever (27.9%), myalgia (18.9%), sore throat (15.7%), anosmia (12%), and shortness of breath (9.4%).
Cyprus has performed a total of 323,311 tests up to September 8 (36,654.9 per 100,000 population), a higher rate than most EU countries.
