COVID19: One death, new cases, hospitalisations up

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Cyprus reported another COVID-19 death on Friday, the lowest in the past weeks, with cases, however, jumping back up after dropping below a 1,000 last week.

The Health Ministry said in its weekly Covid bulletin that the latest victim was a woman aged 95, raising the death toll since the pandemic started three years ago in March 2020 to 1,350.

New cases increased to 1,242 after dropping below 1,000 to 950 last week.

The average daily rate of infections remained below 200 for the third consecutive week, increasing to 177 from 135 last week and 150 the week before.

Coronavirus infections since the pandemic rose to 656,904.

Hospitalisations went up to 50 compared to 39 last week.

Of these, three were in a critical state and remained intubated. Last week just one patient was in a critical condition.

Testing was lower than last week’s level, reaching 51,855 PCR and rapid antigen tests, about 2,900 fewer.

The lower number of tests carried out, combined with the increase in cases, prompted the benchmark ‘positivity rate’ to 2.39%, up from 1.74%.

The infection rate remains over two times higher than the safe rate of 1%.

Masks remain mandatory in hospitals, testing labs and pharmacies.

Free government testing sites are only available at state hospitals for visitors.

The Health Ministry said the next COVID report would be on 21 April, following the Easter holiday.