COVID19: 35 people test positive at Limassol nursing home

Some 35 COVID-19 cases were found at a care home in Limassol following targeted testing carried out at the Health Ministry’s instructions, with cases involving residents and staff.

The results were found among 106 test samples collected on Sunday by the staff of the state health services organisation (OKYPY).

It followed the alarming results of positive COVID-19 samples initially found through rapid tests at the home.

The Ministry ordered health services to have everyone at the ‘Sokration Melathron’ home tested.

“Instructions were given for close monitoring of the people found positive to the virus as well as the rest of the residents of the home, by medical and nursing staff, under the guidance of OKYPY’s infectious diseases experts,” the Health Ministry said.

A 91-year-old woman who died on Saturday from COVID-19 had been a resident at the home.

The home’s management had earlier on Monday come under fire from the woman’s relatives who accused it of not following protocols.

Talking to website Sigmalive, the woman’s granddaughter said that one of the staff members, a nurse, had been found positive for the virus more than a week ago on 25 October.

The nurse had presented symptoms on 10 October but tested negative three times.

Later the family was notified that a coronavirus case was found with the management reassuring that there was no reason for concern.

The woman’s granddaughter said she was notified on October 27 that her grandmother had been taken to Famagusta General after developing symptoms.

According to the Health Ministry, the home’s management had commissioned a private lab to test staff and residents with rapid tests with 28 samples returning a positive result, 20 of which were residents and 8 staff.

Upon receiving the news health authorities decided to conduct more precise PCR tests on the staff and residents.

The Health Ministry said that it has given instructions for the residents tested positive to be closely monitored and instructions will be issued for each case.