Cyprus announced one more death on Thursday, a man aged 84 with underlying issues, raising the death toll since the pandemic started to 48, as the government prepares to announce new measures on Friday morning, possibly a gradual lifting of lockdown measures.
The elderly man was being treated at the Covid-referral clinic of the Famagusta General hospital.
A Health Ministry official said that 12,099 tests were conducted on Friday, less than half of that with the PCR molecular method that identified 175 new SARS-CoV-2 cases. With 45 samples from rapid tests on earlier days confirmed as COVID-19, the day’s total was 220 with the nationwide infections rising to 9,673.
This was similar to Wednesday’s tally.
Two of the new coronavirus cases were traced to the Ayios Antonios old people’s home in Nicosia, where more infections were discovered during the past few days, as the virus continues to hit the elderly and the care homes hardest.
A further 6,164 antigen rapid tests on Thursday produced 103 positive coronavirus cases, but these will need confirmation and will be added to the tally of the next few days, as one more rapid test turned out to be negative.
Of the new cases, five were discovered in Limassol, 25 in Larnaca, 10 in Famagusta, 5 in Paphos, 52 in Nicosia and 6 among soldiers serving in the National Guard.
The government announced on Wednesday that it was buying a further 400,000 rapid kits to continue the national testing programme.
At present, 109 patients are being treated at the state hospitals, with 60 at the Covid-referral clinic at Famagusta General.
President Nicos Anastasiades will be meeting with the scientific advisory committee early on Friday, followed by a Cabinet meeting, to endorse the measures that will follow, with Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou making the announcement at Nicosia General hospital at noon.
Based on leaks to the media leading up to Friday’s announcement, the measures include lifting the lockdown measures in Paphos or Limassol, or both.
Limassol has been the epicentre of the most serious infection rates, with the rolling figure over the pat 14 days below 500 per 100,000 population, far above the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s benchmark 150 per 100,000.
However, though some shops and malls may be allowed to re-open, other restrictions will remain in place throughout the island, including the number of people allowed to visit a household, church service attendance, etc.
