COVID19: 1 death, record rapid tests as Cyprus goes back to work

Cyprus reported one coronavirus death and a drop in patient numbers, as well as new cases of COVID-19, as about 80,000 return to work, shops reopen and most schools restart on Monday.

The health ministry said that a 94 year old man, with underlying health issues, died at Famagusta General hospital, raising the death toll since the start of the pandemic to 212.

The first week of February has so far accounted for 13 deaths, with December and January the worst months on record, with 76 each.

The ratio so far is 143 men (67%) and 69 women, with an average age of 79 years.

The number of patients continues to drop, 109 at present from 112 on Saturday, while the number of critical cases remains unchanged at 33.

With a negative test being mandatory for all those returning to work for the first time in a month on Monday, Sunday broke all records in the number of people tested.

In all, 40,974 antigen rapid and PCR tests were conducted on the day, up from 36,863 the day before.

Some 115 new cases of SARS-CoV-2 were diagnosed on Sunday, down from 132 on Saturday. This resulted in a positivity rate of 0.28% and raises the total infections since last March to 31,759.

 

62 rapid test centres, 59 on Monday

The health ministry said that it operated 62 testing centres on Sunday, concluding a week of free testing with subjects classified in an alphabetical order. As of Monday, testing will continue in 59 centres, most of them from 8.30am to 6pm.

Of all the samples taken on Sunday, 852 were molecular PCR tests and 40,122 were rapid tests, with results available within 20 to 30 minutes.

Of these, 27 were identified through tracing of contacts of earlier infections, while 76 were diagnosed from the rapid tests.

Limassol continues to be in the lead with the highest number of 48 positive results from the rapid tests, followed by 20 in Nicosia, 5 in Larnaca, 2 in Famagusta district and 1 in Paphos.