COVID19: Attention turns to high Limassol cases

While Cyprus’ overall COVID-19 data is improving, health authorities are turning their attention to Limassol’s worsening situation.

In a statement following a meeting with the government’s coronavirus advisory committee, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said the deteriorating picture in Limassol district has scientists concerned.

He noted that data covering the past two weeks from the contact tracing team show that while the spread of the virus in other districts is under control, the situation in Limassol is slipping away despite the lockdown.

According to the contact tracing team’s data, many cases have been detected at specific workplaces, such as pharmaceutical companies, food processing plants, food retailers, and other retail businesses.

Preliminary evaluations reveal that health and safety protocols at workplaces are being flouted.

The Labour Ministry will be stepping up checks for violations while instructions were issued to conduct tests on all staff at businesses where cases are detected.

Ioannou was also informed that some people who tested positive for the virus are not reporting all their contacts and concealing the places where they work, declaring to be unemployed.

Finally, according to the data, there is an increase in the number of elderly people who have tested positive for the virus.

“Data shows that the elderly found positive to the virus in the last few days acquired the infection from a family member or from people responsible for their home care.”

While the 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate in the other districts is below 150 per 100,000 people, which is the safety benchmark set by the EU, in Limassol this number was more than double, at around 335.

Cyprus on Sunday reported another 123 new COVID-19 cases out of 35,241 tests, bringing the total to 32,513.

One more death was reported on Sunday, taking the total of COVID-19 deaths to 221.