Despite authorities tightening measures three times in recent weeks, Cyprus’ epidemiological landscape has worsened with hotspots Limassol and Paphos reporting an ever-increasing number of new daily COVID-19 cases.
Cyprus’ epidemiological data has dangerously deteriorated to a 14-day cumulative rate of 247.5 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population, up from 207.9 per last week. Over half the infections are in the Limassol hotspot.
On 24 October, the rate in Cyprus was 158.1 cases per 100,000, it deteriorated to 207.9 by 31 October.
According to the Health Ministry’s latest national bulletin on coronavirus, Cyprus from 26 October – 08 November recorded 2,168 new COVID-19 cases.
Among all cases diagnosed in the last 14 days, 1,266 (58.4%) were reported in Limassol, 213 (9.8%) in Paphos, 351 (16.2%) in Nicosia, 173 (8%) in Larnaca, 86 (4%) in Famagusta, and 79 (3.6%) were reported either in the British bases or had a residence abroad, or information was not available.
Limassol’s 14-day cumulative notification rate on 8 November had risen to 516.9 per 100,000, as did Paphos at 226.4.
The 14-day cumulative notification rate for Famagusta is also dangerously rising at 178.4. Nicosia’s rate stands at 102.7 and Larnaca’s at 117.7.
Cyprus could boast about its success in handling the pandemic up until the roller coaster of cases that started in October and peaked at 314 on Saturday 7 November.
The worsening data led authorities to tighten restrictions a third time in just a fortnight, imposing a lockdown and an 8 pm to 5 am curfew on Limassol and Paphos while tightening restrictions for the rest of the island.
Hospital admissions and deaths have also gone up with Cyprus reporting another seven deaths in the fortnight covered by the report.
According to the latest epidemiological report, in total, 6.9% (401) of people with COVID-19 received hospital care, as of November 11.
The median age of hospitalised patients was 60 (IQR: 47-73 years). Hospitalised cases were mainly males (243; 60.6%).
The median age of patients still hospitalised (66) is 66 (IQR: 57-78 years), 68.2% (45) are males, and 60.9% are from Limassol.
Overall, 41 cases (10.2% of all hospitalized patients) have been admitted to ICU.
The median age of patients admitted to ICU was 67 years (IQR: 58-74 years). ICU patients are mainly male (31; 75.6%).
The overall median length of stay in ICU (for all 39 ICU cases) was 11 days (IQR: 7-30 days).
The median age of current ICU patients is 69.5 (IQR: 64-72) years and 83.3% are males. Five out of six (83.3%) patients currently in ICU have pre-existing conditions.
In the last 14 days (26 October- 08 November) 2,168 cases were diagnosed, of which 7.5% (163) were imported, 85.8% (1,860) were locally acquired, and 6.7% (145) are unknown.
By age group, cases include 343 infants, children and adolescents aged 0-17 years-old (15.8%), 1,501 adults aged 18-59 years (69.2%), 305 persons aged 60 and older (14.1%), and for 19 cases (0.9%) information was missing.
The median age of all cases diagnosed in the last 14 days is 35 years (IQR: 23-52 years). The median age of adult cases (≥ 18 years) is 40 (IQR: 28-54 years).
Cyprus cases tally on Thursday was 6,646.
Mortality rate
Among cases diagnosed until November 8, 33 COVID-19 associated deaths were reported in Cyprus (Case Fatality Risk – CFR: 0.6%).
The COVID-19 associated mortality is 3.8 per 100,000 population.
Twenty deaths (60.6%) occurred in men and 13 (39.4%) in women; the median age of all deaths was 76 years (IQR: 68-82 years).
Ten deaths were reported among residents in Limassol, nine in Larnaca, seven in Paphos, five in Nicosia, and two in Famagusta.
The median time from date of sampling to death was 11 days (IQR: 5-29days). COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death for 26 of 33 fatalities.
Over the last 14 days, 10 deaths (all-causes) were reported (overall mortality among COVID-19 cases: 1.1 per 100,000 population).
A total of 511,689 tests have been performed as of November 8 (58,418.8 per 100,000 population).
Over the last 14 days, 47,773 tests have been performed (5,454.1 per 100,000 population).
