Cyprus reported one death in its weekly Covid bulletin on Friday, with new cases more than doubling to 7,263 from 3,479 the week before, with hospitalisations also on the rise, following the removal of almost all restrictions in early June.
This also pushed all coronavirus infection cases beyond the 500,000 mark to 504,717.
The Health Ministry said the death toll since the pandemic started increased by two to 1,072, after an 89 year old woman died during the past week and the national figures were adjusted to include a 37 year old man who died in August last year.
The death toll for May was 23, while April’s death toll was 75, just ahead of 67 in March.
January remained the deadliest month on record with 101 deaths, followed by 96 in February, overtaking the previous record of last August, adjusted to 84.
Some 367, or a third of all 1,072 deaths in Cyprus occurred in the first six months of this year.
Hospitalisations increased significantly within a week from 34 to 47, critical cases rose from to four, with one intubated patient.
A further two patients are still considered post-Covid, four less than the week before, having recovered from the virus but remaining intubated and in a serious state.
Total SARS-CoV-2 infections since March 2020 rose to 504,717.
1,038 daily
The past week saw 7,263 new cases, up 3,784 from last week, with the average daily rate more than doubling from 497 to 1,038.
A total of 53,416 PCR and rapid antigen tests were conducted during the past week, 5,000 less than the week before, as restrictions were almost completely lifted as of June 1, abolishing the use of masks.
Testing increased with a total of 74,362 PCR and rapid antigen tests were conducted during the past week, 21,000 more than the week before, as restrictions were almost completely lifted as of June 1, abolishing the use of masks.
This measure remains only in critical healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and care homes, where a negative rapid test is required to enter, as well as in ‘high congestion’ areas.
Primary schools also closed mid-June with only gymnasium students sitting for end of year exams and lyceum high school students preparing for university.
With a small increase in the number of tests and a doubling in new cases, the benchmark ‘positivity rate’ spiraled to a year-high of 9.77% from 6.5% last week and 3.77% the week before, nearly ten times above the safe limit of 1%.
Of the new Covid cases, seven were identified through contact tracing linked to earlier infections.
Twenty two soldiers serving in the National Guard tested positive and 15 new cases were reported in care homes, as well as five in restricted institutions.
