COVID19: Weeks needed for Cyprus cases to flatten

Cyprus will continue to record three-digit numbers of coronavirus cases as the situation needs weeks to get under control, an expert in infection prevention Constantinos Tsioutis said.

The government expert said in the last few days, Cyprus recorded more than 900 cases, more than one-third of the total number since the outbreak.

Tsioutis said that tougher measures announced by the government will take many weeks to bear fruit.

“At the moment, all epidemiological indicators show that we are on an upward trend and we hope from next week to see some of these indicators decrease, thus showing slightly that this serious epidemic is starting to become under control.”

“We are at a critical point at the moment because there is now documented transmission to the community.”

The government advisor on COVID said there are multiple transmission chains in too many places and in many geographical areas, especially in the Limassol and Paphos districts which will come under a night-time curfew on Friday.

Tsioutis told CNA that admissions to hospitals and intensive care units are on the rise.

“We have not yet seen the full extent of the clinical effects of the outbreak of the last 10 days.”

He said that statistically there will be an increase in deaths since the mortality of identified cases is at 1-2%.

“If measures are not observed, we will not see any improvement.”

Cyprus is trying to buy time with more restrictions to bring the virus under control before winter begins to bite in late November.