Despite improvement, the epidemiological burden remains high

Despite the improvement in the epidemiological outlook of Cyprus, the burden in the community remains high, Head of the Scientific Advisory Committee on the coronavirus, Dr Constantinos Tsioutis has told CNA.

Tsioutis, who is also Assistant Professor, Internal Medicine & Infection Prevention and Control at the Department of Medicine of the European  University Cyprus, said that February will be a transitional month. The Scientific Advisory Committee, he said, believes that February should be  considered as a transitional period rather than a period of relaxation. "That is, a gradual transition from a period of strict measures,  to a period of relaxation," he said.

Asked about the meeting that will take place on Monday under the President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades on the situation of the pandemic in Cyprus, Tsioutis said that they will evaluate the situation and noted that they will take into consideration the basic parameter which led to the three week lockdown, ie, the hospitalisations and the admissions in the Intensive Care Units.

As regards a possible relaxation of measures after the three weeks lockdown which began on the 10th of January, Tsioutis said that there is indeed an improvement in the epidemiological outlook in the community, but pointed out that the epidemiological burden and the number of patients in the Intensive Care Units remain high.

CNA also spoke to Petros Karayiannis, member of the Advisory Scientific Committee to the Minister of Health, Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Virology at the University of Nicosia Medical School. Karayiannis said that there is a downward trend as regards the new infections, which have now stabilized and are around 150-160 per day.

He expressed hope that as a result of the restrictive measures currently in place, there will be a further decline. But he pointed out that despite the fact that there is a drop in the number of hospitalized patients, the number of those who are in a critical condition remains high and stands at 60.

Asked if there will be relaxation of measures as from February 1st, when the current lockdown ends, he said that if by then the hospitalizations and the number of cases continue to fall, some relaxation would be justified.