COVID19: Cases will not come down anytime soon

Due to a spike in COVID-19 clusters in Limassol, where there are trains of transmission, Cyprus infections are unlikely to drop over the coming weeks, said contact tracing chief Valentinos Sylvestros.

Sylvestros told the Cyprus News Agency there are clusters in five schools; the largest one is at least 30 people with the virus spread from the students to other family members.

Last week, 109 students tested positive affecting approximately 100 families.

There is additional concern about parents spreading the virus at their workplace after getting infected by their children.

Sylvestros said within the next five days, “we will be able to determine the size of the spread within the families”.

He said it is unlikely Cyprus will see a decrease in cases but instead see a rise in numbers.

The Head of the tracing unit said the spread was down to people not adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

“If the students gather together during breaks or if teachers don’t follow the measures, we have a spread.”

He said there was information about students or teachers who show up at school with symptoms.

Sylvestros advised parents not to send their kids to school if they have any symptoms and called on teachers to take sick leave if they feel unwell.

A study of two elementary schools at Kato Polemidia with large clusters show that a teacher spread the virus.

He teaches at both schools and had symptoms even though his rapid test was negative.

There is also a cluster at Limassol General Hospital and some banks, said Sylvestros.

“It is evident that in workplaces and offices, the spread is easier if employees don’t keep their distance and gather together during their breaks.”

Between 20-26 February, 56 teachers, 109 primary school students, 25 high school students, and five kindergarten kids islandwide tested positive for COVID-19.