COVID19: 2 deaths, fewer cases keep infection rate down

Cyprus reported two coronavirus deaths on Sunday, while hospitalisations increased to 143 and new daily cases were halved from the previous day to 147.

The health ministry said a 52 year old man and an 83 year old woman were the latest victims of the pandemic, raising the death toll in September to 12 and the to date figure to 515.

The number of patients currently admitted to state hospitals for treatment rose by ten from Saturday to 143, of whom 46 are in serious condition, three more from the previous day.

Meanwhile, 15 patients remain intubated, down by three, while 82% of hospital patients being unvaccinated.

A further 16 patients are considered post-Covid, having recovered from the virus, but remain intubated and in a serious state.

The total number of all SARS-CoV-2 infections since the pandemic started in March 2020 was rose to 116,768.

Some 29,833 PCR and antigen rapid tests were conducted during the past 24 hours, 25,000 less than the day before.

With fewer tests and a lower number of 147 new infections, 148 less than the day before, the benchmark ‘test positivity’ improved and dropped to 0.49% from the previous day’s 0.53% and below the high-risk threshold of 1%.

Of the new cases, seven passengers tested positive in PCR tests at Larnaca and Paphos airports, and 36 were diagnosed from private initiative and hospital tests.

A further 50 cases were identified from private rapid tests at labs and pharmacies, and 54 were positive from the free national testing programme, available only to those vaccinated or recovered from earlier infections.

All 25 tests of staff and residents in retirement homes, as well as 329 random rapid tests at the airports were negative for Covid-19.