Five new confirmed cases in Cyprus

Five new confirmed cases with COVID- 19 out of a total of 3,322 tests completed were announced in Cyprus on Wednesday, bringing the total to 795, with officials saying that "the ray of light is getting bigger."

In particular, speaking during a press conference at the Ministry of Health Dr. Leontios Kostrikis, member of the Advisory Body on the pandemic said that out of 788 tests conducted in the context of a government funded mass testing drive on 20,000 professionals in the public and private sector, no positive cases were found.

Out of 270 tests conducted in the context of tracing contacts of confirmed cases, three people tested positive.

Out of 256 tests carried out by the Microbiological Labs of the General Hospitals, one person tested positive.

Out of 314 tests carried out on people returning from abroad, no one tested positive.

Out of 545 tests completed privately, no one tested positive.

Out of 149 tests completed on health professionals, one person tested positive, he said, adding that it concerns a health professional in the health center of Akaki village, in Nicosia District.

From April 11, until today at 1600 hours (1300 GMT), a total of 12,106 tests have been carried out in the context of the 20,000 tests on public and private sector professionals, funded by the government.

This he said brings that total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Cyprus to 795 including 10 located in the British Bases on the island.

“Today’s small number of confirmed cases from a large sample of diagnostic tests, in combination with the findings from recent days, lead to the safe conclusion that we have distanced ourselves greatly from the worst scenario,” Kostrikis pointed out.

“The ray of light is getting bigger and if this course continues then easing restrictive measures will be able to take place with greater safety and speed,” he noted.

He thanked the public for the cooperation with the measures in place, “which contributed to the drastic reduction of new cases.”

Dr Marios Loizou, the Scientific Director at the Nicosia Directorate of the Cyprus State Health Services Organisation said that a total of 15 people were treated until 1500 local time today in Famagusta General Hospital which is the Reference Hospital for COVID-19 patients, two of whom in the increased care unit. One individual was released from the hospital.

Seven patients are on ventilators, one in Limassol General Hospital ICU and six in Nicosia General Hospital ICU. Another three are also treated in the ICUs, one in Limassol and another in Nicosia but are breathing without mechanical support. The state of health of patients in the ICUs is described as “critical but stable,” he said.

Another six confirmed cases are treated in other hospitals.

Loizou also warned that we must never forget how easily transmissible this virus is, when it is “left uncontrolled and secondly that although we wish otherwise right now there is no effective vaccine, nor therapy for it, which was also stressed yesterday by the US National Institute of Health.”