Authorities announced two deaths and 439 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday

Authorities in Cyprus reported another two deaths from COVID-19 and 439 new cases out of 42,257 tests with a positivity rate of 1.04%. The number of deaths due to the disease is now 256 and cases reported since the outbreak of the pandemic 45,430.

At the same time, 177 patients with COVID-19 are treated in hospital, 46 of whom in a serious condition.

The two deceased were a 67 year-old woman with underlying health conditions who had not been vaccinated and passed away in the Nicosia General Hospital ICU and a 66 year-old man with underlying health conditions who had also not been vaccinated, who passed away at Nicosia General Hospital, the Ministry of Health says in a press release.

Therefore, it adds, the total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 has reached 256, 169 or 66% men and 87 or 34% women. The median age of the deceased is 79.

In total, the press release says, 177 patients with COVID-19 are being treated in state hospitals, 46 of whom in a serious condition. Twenty one are intubated, another four are treated in ICU but without the help of a ventilator and 21 are in an increased care unit.

Out of a total 42,257 laboratory tests, 3,666 by PCR and 38,591 by antigen rapid test, 439 positive cases were detected as follows:

Out of 740 samples taken in the context of contact tracing 135 people tested positive; out of 775 samples from passengers in Larnaca and Pafos airports one person tested positive; out of 1,718 samples tested privately 60 people were detected as positive; out of 373 samples from the General Hospital Microbiology labs 12 people tested positive; out of 59 samples from GP referrals and screening through public health centres 2 people tested positive; out of 1,120 private antigen rapid tests 27 people tested positive and out of 37,471 samples tested by rapid test in the context of a Ministry of Health testing programme 202 people tested positive.