Cyprus is finally getting a grip on a surge of new COVID-19 cases as the island’s 14-day notification rate dropped to its the lowest ebb since the Delta variant pushed daily cases up to 1,152 in mid-July.
In the last 14 days (September 11-24), 1,606 cases were diagnosed, with the 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate dropping to 180.9 per 100,000 population, dropping by 30% compared to the previous report, according to the latest health ministry report.
The previous report, between August 31 and September 13, detected a total of 2,313 cases, resulting in a 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate of 260.5 per 100,000 residents. Two weeks before that, the cumulative diagnosis rate was 419.1 per 100,000 population.
Improving data of recent months has not been enough to push Cyprus out the ECDC’s high-risk ‘red’ category classification of countries based on their improving or worsening epidemiological data.
Countries listed in the red category have a 14-day cumulative Covid-19 diagnosis rate between 75 to 200 and the test positivity rate of tests for Covid-19 infection is 4% or more.
All districts in Cyprus reported improved data, with Nicosia dropping to double digit figures reporting to 93.2 from 198 per 100,000. Paphos followed with 197.1, down from 224.3, and Limassol with 212.6 from 262.6.
Larnaca’s 14-day notification rate dropped from 269.8 to 214.1. Famagusta recorded the largest drop, going from 574.6 to 402.9 cases per 100,000, remaining well above the rate of the rest of the island.
The median age of the cases was 34 years with, new cases evenly distributed amongst men and women – 50.5% females and 49.5% males.
Limassol reported the highest number of cases, accounting for 33.8% of the new infections, followed by Nicosia with 20.7% and Larnaca with 20.4%.
Famagusta accounted for 12.6% of the cases, Paphos for 12%, while seven cases were reported either in the British bases or had a residence abroad.
Adults account for 61% of cases
By age group, cases included 428 infants, children and adolescents aged 0-19 years-old (26.6%), 976 adults aged 20-59 years (60.8%), and 202 persons aged 60 years and older (12.6%).
The median age of all cases diagnosed in the last 14 days is 34 years (IQR: 18-48 years). The median age of adult cases (≥ 18 years) is 40 years (IQR: 30-53 years).
As of September 26, 84 people were still hospitalised, of whom 15 are being treated in an ICU. The median age of patients still hospitalised due to COVID-19 is 59 years, with 30.8% of patients having a home address in the Limassol district.
Regarding fatalities, since the pandemic outbreak up to September 29, a total of 552 people have died from coronavirus on the island.
September recorded 40 deaths and August remains the month with the highest numbers of deaths, with 80 people dying of the coronavirus.
So far, Cyprus has reported 120,272 cases.
