Cyprus reported 310 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 on Friday, ending a week of fluctuating daily cases, yet firmly with 3-digit figures, prompting the government to impose ‘light lockdown’ measures throughout the country and lifting the harsh restrictions imposed on Limassol and Paphos.
From November 30, Cyprus will lift lockdowns in Limassol and Paphos but impose a nationwide eight-hour night-time curfew with earlier closing for restaurants and bars to buffer the pandemic.
A nationwide curfew will apply between the hours of 9pm and 5am from November 30 until December 13, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said earlier on Friday.
The health ministry said that 12,895 coronavirus tests were conducted, of which just over half, or 6,584 employed the more accurate PCR molecular method, producing 216 positive COVID-19 cases.
No deaths were reported, as had been the case in recent days among the elderly or patients with underlying health issues.
A further 94 samples from the less-accurate antigen rapid test kits conducted on previous days were positive, raising the day’s tally to 310 and the total since the pandemic started to 9,983.
The remaining 6,311 were rapid tests that produced 78 positive infections. Though results are generated within 30 minutes, these samples will need PCR confirmation, as a handful of daily rapid tests often come back negative.
A health ministry spokesperson said that for the first time in several days, of the 150 rapid tests were conducted in old people’s homes in Paphos and a further 245 in care homes in Limassol, all were negative.
Positive infections were discovered in Limassol (4), Larnaca (16), Famagusta (5), Paphos (11), Nicosia (41). Of the 1,233 tests on soldiers serving in the National Guard, only one was positive.
The health ministry said that 108 patients are being treated at state hospitals, 56 of whom at the Covid-referral clinic at Famagusta General hospital.
See the 25 new measures from November 30 to 14 December here: https://www.financialmirror.com/2020/11/27/covid19-cyprus-9-pm-curfew-gyms-shut-hospitality-early-closing/
