COVID19: Two new Cyprus cases are airport arrivals

Cyprus health authorities announced on Saturday that the two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection were people arriving at the airport from high-risk coronavirus countries.

The two positive cases were identified from 1,336 tests, bringing the total COVID-19 cases since the outbreak to 994.

According to the Ministry of Health, the new cases were identified from 504 tests taken among repatriated Cypriots or passengers travelling to Cyprus.

Both cases were individuals arriving from countries classified in the higher risk Category C which require a negative COVID-19 test.

One of the two cases was a Cypriot living in Egypt who was tested at the airport and the second a person from the Philippines who presented the result of a rapid test and not from a molecular test (PCR), which was not accepted by the airport authorities.

No positive cases were reported among 270 tests on employees in businesses which resumed operations during the second and third phase of easing restrictions, 131 tests carried out after private initiative and 51 tests in the contact tracing process.

Furthermore, no new infections were reported from 164 tests carried out by the general hospital Microbiology Labs and 215 tests in the context of referrals by GPs and special group screenings through the public health centres.

One patient is being treated at the Famagusta General, the COVID-19 referral hospital and the other patient was discharged.