You are here

COVID-related deaths rise by 102% in August

17/09/2021 13:53

August 2021 was the worst month since the start of the pandemic in terms of deaths caused due to COVID-19, with a monthly increase of 102% according to the National Surveillance Report as of September 13, 2021, released on Friday by the Ministry of Health.

The same data also show that all indicators continue their downward trend, including the moving average of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases, the 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate and the moving average of hospital admissions and hospitalizations. The R rate is estimated at 0.60 (0.56 - 0.64).
 
Until September 13th, 2021, 117,754 COVID-19 cases have been diagnosed, of which 544 died due to COVID-19. The case fatality risk stands at 0.5%.
 
The Health Ministry notes that the total number of diagnoses included in the National Surveillance Report is lower that the one in the daily report of September 13, since data in the National Report are analysed according to the day they were diagnosed and not according to the day they are reported, which is sometimes 2 or 3 days after the sampling in the case of a PCR test.
 
According to the National Surveillance report, in the last 14 days (31 August – 13 September, 2021), 2,313 cases were diagnosed. The 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate is 260.5 per 100,000 population. The median age was 33 years and sex information was available for 2,305 (99.7%) cases, of which, 50.9% were males (1,174), and 49.1% females (1,131).
 
By place of exposure, information was available for 2,238 (96.8%) cases, of which 8.5% (191) were imported and 91.5% (2,047) were locally-acquired.
 
Until September 15th, 2021, 111 people were still hospitalized. Of 24 cases in intensive care units (ICU), who are currently notified and diagnosed till September 13th, 22 cases are intubated. The median age of current ICU patients is 60 years and 16 (66.7%) are males.
 
Over the last 14 days, 69,551 RT PCR and 652,959 rapid antigen tests have been performed (7,832.3 RT PCR and 73,531.4 rapid antigen tests per 100,000 population).
 
According to the report, by September 13th, 2021, 117,754 cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been diagnosed (laboratory-confirmed). In the last 14 days (31 August – 13 September, 2021), 2,313 cases have been diagnosed. The 14-day cumulative diagnosis rate of COVID-19 (per 100,000 population), a measure which reflects the number of active COVID-19 cases in the population (prevalence), is 260.5 per 100,000 population.
 
In the last 14 days (31 August – 13 September, 2021), of 2,313 cases sampled and notified, epidemiological link information was available for 2,238 (96.8%) cases, of which 8.5% (191) were imported and 91.5% (2,047) were locally-acquired.
 
As for the clinical features, in the last 14 days (31 August – 13 September, 2021), information was available for 1,897 (82%) of cases of which 12.7% (240) reported no symptoms and 87.3% (1,657) reported at least one symptom.
 
Concerning the pre-existing conditions, in the last 14 days (31 August – 13 September, 2021), information was available for 1,631 cases (70.5%) of which 322 cases (19.7%) reported at least one comorbidity.
 
Among cases diagnosed until September 13th 2021, 544 COVID-19 associated deaths were reported in the Republic of Cyprus until September 15th, 2021 (Case Fatality Risk - CFR: 0.5%). The COVID-19 associated mortality is 61.3 per 100,000 population.
 
Among cases diagnosed until September 13th 2021, 627 COVID-19 associated deaths were reported in the Republic of Cyprus until September 15th, 2021 (CFR: 0.5%).
 
The mortality (all-causes) for people with COVID-19 is 70.6 per 100,000 population. Deaths occurred in 404 men (64.4%) and 223 (35.6%) women; the median age of all deaths was 78 years. By district of residence, deceased cases were 232 (37%) from Limassol, 197 (31.4%) from Nicosia, 117 (18.7%) from Larnaka, 44 (7%) from Pafos, 29 (4.6%) from Ammochostos, six deaths (1%) occurred among cases for which district information was not available, and two (0.3%) deaths were reported among cases who had a residence abroad.
 
The median time from date of sampling to death (all-causes) was 14 days.
 
In total, 4.7% (5,504) of people with COVID-19 received hospital care, by September 15th, 2021. The median age of hospitalized patients was 60 years. Excluding 12 cases (0.2%) for which sex information is not available, hospitalized cases were mainly males (3,118; 56.8%).
 
Overall, 578 cases (10.5% of all hospitalized patients) have been admitted to ICU. The median age of patients ever admitted to ICU was 66 years. ICU patients were mainly male (366; 63.3%). The overall median length of stay in ICU (for all ICU cases) was 12 days.
 
BY September 15th, 2021, and based on records which rapidly evolve, of those diagnosed till September 13th, 24 cases are still in ICU (including deaths / discharged on that day). The median age of current ICU patients is 60 years and 16 (66.7%) are males.
 
The number of cases currently in ICU is 2.7 per 100,000 population.
 
A total of 552 ICU patients (95.5% of all ICU patients) have been intubated - currently 22 patients in ICU are intubated (including deaths/discharged/extubated on that day).
 
By September 13th, 2021, among cases alive, 98.1% (114,963) of COVID-19 cases have recovered/released from isolation.
 
According to the Death Report until September 15, 2021, 627 deaths of people diagnosed with COVID-19 were reported. 64% are men (404) and 36% women (223). Out of 627 deaths, 544 (87%) had COVID-19 as the underlying cause. 75% of total deaths of people diagnosed with COVID-19 are aged 69-85 years, with a median age of 78 years.
 
The total number of deaths of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in August 2021 (93), exceeds the number of deaths in December 2020 (86) and January 2021 (86). These three months represent 42% of the total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic.
 
They are followed by April 2021 with 11% (66), May 2021 with 9% (58) and July with 7% (46).
 
Limassol has the highest mortality rate with 80 deaths per 100,000 population. Larnaca follows with 67.6 deaths, Nicosia with 50 deaths, Famagusta with 53.1 deaths and Paphos with 38.4 deaths per 100,000 population.