Philenews 21 March 2020 - article by Marilena Panagi
The coronavirus has outgrown us and is in society. The results of yesterday's laboratory tests show clear evidence of the spread of coronavirus to the wider community, which has once again alerted the Ministry of Health which, according to F's information, is reconstituting and preparing to implement new strategies to face the new data.
The city of Paphos seems to be a priority for the Ministry of Health and it is not excluded that there will be significant developments in the coming days. There, as the data show, secondary and tertiary virus transmission is already recorded. That is to say, the coronavirus has passed on to the population of the city and is not confined to persons who have traveled and their contacts or belong to the staff and patients of the city hospital, but it has also been transmitted to third parties or in some cases possibly to fourth persons. In addition, the first "orphaned" case of coronavirus was detected in Paphos, in the taxi driver who became ill without knowing the source of the virus transmission to him, suggesting that the virus was probably out of control.
In Limassol, although it has not yet been confirmed on the basis of yesterday's data, the secondary transmission of coronavirus in the community is recorded in the city hospital, which gives a clear indication of possible spread of the virus to society. In addition, the results of the laboratory tests for the samples taken from the contacts of the pediatrician who was ill and the hospital's executive director, which is also on the list of known cases, have not been announced.
In a new development yesterday, another "orphaned" case involving a person living in the Famagusta Free Zone was recorded. The incident alarmed the authorities, as officials reportedly made enormous efforts to identify the source of the coronavirus transmission to the individual, but failed to do so. Thus, it is highly probable that there is already a spread of coronavirus in this area of Cyprus, as several citizens of the Republic are working in the British bases of the area, where there are already three known outbreaks and dozens of other British Army members in isolation.
The list of cases announced by health ministry epidemiologists yesterday proves the situation. In total, eight new cases of coronavirus were announced yesterday, raising the number of known cases in the free zones to 75.
These cases were: -
Two more nurses at Paphos General Hospital.
- A doctor at Paphos General Hospital.
-A private city hospital doctor (resulting in quarantine and a second private hospital in Paphos). He appears to have been infected by the virus following surgery on his English patient.
-A member of the Limassol hospital management team who had not contacted the pediatrician who was diagnosed the day before but the chief executive of the hospital, who has also been hospitalized. The fact shows that there is dispersion within the hospital.
-One of the Police,
-Two citizens who had contacted confirmed cases.
The data, which is recorded daily at the Ministry of Health, also obliged Health Minister Konstantinos Ioannou to emphasize yesterday in a rigorous manner, addressing citizens that "our choice is now between life and death".
"The choice each of us has is between life and death. We are in a state of emergency. Unfortunately, while we have called on the world to restrict itself, we have taken painful steps for workers and entrepreneurs, we have asked businesses to close. And while we have made these painful decisions, there are unfortunately many phenomena not following them. Stay home. It is so simple".
They do not comply with the quarantine
Even the National Guard has been recruited to maintain order and maintain security in compulsory quarantine areas. "Unfortunately, I get messages that people in quarantine do not obey the instructions we have given. We cannot expect the state to police everyone and everything. This is impossible and you all know it. Everyone must take responsibility and obey. We have also put soldiers and security personnel in the quarantines, but we can't put a soldier or a policeman out of every room. And if these people who are in quarantine fail to understand the measures they need to take, then we will have to take more drastic measures, "the health minister said.
The hospitals will operate with backups
Implementation of its decrees was promoted by the Minister of Health yesterday, starting with public sector hospitals that are currently at the forefront of dealing with coronavirus incidents (planning will also apply if needed in the private sector, who is also "bound" by the relevant Decree).
So according to the plan that arrived in all public hospitals yesterday:
- All clinics and departments will operate with backups.
- All doctors and nurses will be divided into two groups.
- One team will work normally in the clinics.
- The second team will be at rest.
According to the plan, the Ministry of Health plans to save forces and personnel. Simply put, if one of the health professionals on duty is ill or has to restrict himself because he came into contact with a case of coronavirus, he will be replaced by a doctor or nurse belonging to the second group who is on "rest". .
Until 10am, pharmacies and hypermarkets for people over 60 and vulnerable groups
By decree the police will be able to control the quarantine areas
According to the new decree of the Minister of Health:
From 06.00 am today, pharmacies and hypermarkets serve on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays (where applicable) from 10am until 10am. exclusively persons who fall into the categories of vulnerable groups such as those designated by the Ministry of Health in the Press Release dated 16 March 2020, and / or any future revision thereof:
Undertakings whose operations have not been suspended and are accepted for service may extend their working hours so as to avoid overcrowding and crowding, provided that:
(i) The rights of employees under the relevant laws are not violated; , as well as collective agreements (where applicable) and (ii) the provisions of the Declaration of Inquiry (No. 3) which prohibit the presence at the same place, that is to say at the service, at all times number of persons, including employees, not to exceed 1 person per 8 sq.m. usable space.
* The new decree states that hotels and tourist accommodation whose owners and / or managers have concluded and / or will enter into agreements with the State Department of Tourism, diplomatic missions of States, are exempt from its provisions on Decree-clearing (No. 3). and / or international organizations with which the Republic of Cyprus has concluded bilateral transnational agreements or international conventions and the Ministry of Labor, Welfare and Social Security for hosting asylum seekers other vulnerable population groups or applicants for international protection.
The city of Paphos seems to be a priority for the Ministry of Health and it is not excluded that there will be significant developments in the coming days. There, as the data show, secondary and tertiary virus transmission is already recorded. That is to say, the coronavirus has passed on to the population of the city and is not confined to persons who have traveled and their contacts or belong to the staff and patients of the city hospital, but it has also been transmitted to third parties or in some cases possibly to fourth persons. In addition, the first "orphaned" case of coronavirus was detected in Paphos, in the taxi driver who became ill without knowing the source of the virus transmission to him, suggesting that the virus was probably out of control.
In a new development yesterday, another "orphaned" case involving a person living in the Famagusta Free Zone was recorded. The incident alarmed the authorities, as officials reportedly made enormous efforts to identify the source of the coronavirus transmission to the individual, but failed to do so. Thus, it is highly probable that there is already a spread of coronavirus in this area of Cyprus, as several citizens of the Republic are working in the British bases of the area, where there are already three known outbreaks and dozens of other British Army members in isolation.
The list of cases announced by health ministry epidemiologists yesterday proves the situation. In total, eight new cases of coronavirus were announced yesterday, raising the number of known cases in the free zones to 75.
These cases were: -
Two more nurses at Paphos General Hospital.
- A doctor at Paphos General Hospital.
-A private city hospital doctor (resulting in quarantine and a second private hospital in Paphos). He appears to have been infected by the virus following surgery on his English patient.
-A member of the Limassol hospital management team who had not contacted the pediatrician who was diagnosed the day before but the chief executive of the hospital, who has also been hospitalized. The fact shows that there is dispersion within the hospital.
-One of the Police,
-Two citizens who had contacted confirmed cases.
The data, which is recorded daily at the Ministry of Health, also obliged Health Minister Konstantinos Ioannou to emphasize yesterday in a rigorous manner, addressing citizens that "our choice is now between life and death".
"The choice each of us has is between life and death. We are in a state of emergency. Unfortunately, while we have called on the world to restrict itself, we have taken painful steps for workers and entrepreneurs, we have asked businesses to close. And while we have made these painful decisions, there are unfortunately many phenomena not following them. Stay home. It is so simple".
They do not comply with the quarantine
Even the National Guard has been recruited to maintain order and maintain security in compulsory quarantine areas. "Unfortunately, I get messages that people in quarantine do not obey the instructions we have given. We cannot expect the state to police everyone and everything. This is impossible and you all know it. Everyone must take responsibility and obey. We have also put soldiers and security personnel in the quarantines, but we can't put a soldier or a policeman out of every room. And if these people who are in quarantine fail to understand the measures they need to take, then we will have to take more drastic measures, "the health minister said.
The hospitals will operate with backups
Implementation of its decrees was promoted by the Minister of Health yesterday, starting with public sector hospitals that are currently at the forefront of dealing with coronavirus incidents (planning will also apply if needed in the private sector, who is also "bound" by the relevant Decree).
So according to the plan that arrived in all public hospitals yesterday:
- All clinics and departments will operate with backups.
- All doctors and nurses will be divided into two groups.
- One team will work normally in the clinics.
- The second team will be at rest.
According to the plan, the Ministry of Health plans to save forces and personnel. Simply put, if one of the health professionals on duty is ill or has to restrict himself because he came into contact with a case of coronavirus, he will be replaced by a doctor or nurse belonging to the second group who is on "rest". .
Until 10am, pharmacies and hypermarkets for people over 60 and vulnerable groups
By decree the police will be able to control the quarantine areas
According to the new decree of the Minister of Health:
- Any person is prohibited from entering the premises of compulsory restraint (quarantine) without the permission of the Minister of Health or an authorized official of the Ministry of Health.
- It is also forbidden for any person without the authorization of the Minister of Health or an authorized official of the Ministry of Health to come within less than one meter of a person who is either a confirmed case of COVID-19 coronavirus, is in compulsory restraint or is in a state of restraint. self-restraint.
From 06.00 am today, pharmacies and hypermarkets serve on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays (where applicable) from 10am until 10am. exclusively persons who fall into the categories of vulnerable groups such as those designated by the Ministry of Health in the Press Release dated 16 March 2020, and / or any future revision thereof:
- Sixty years or more
- With disabilities.
Undertakings whose operations have not been suspended and are accepted for service may extend their working hours so as to avoid overcrowding and crowding, provided that:
(i) The rights of employees under the relevant laws are not violated; , as well as collective agreements (where applicable) and (ii) the provisions of the Declaration of Inquiry (No. 3) which prohibit the presence at the same place, that is to say at the service, at all times number of persons, including employees, not to exceed 1 person per 8 sq.m. usable space.
* The new decree states that hotels and tourist accommodation whose owners and / or managers have concluded and / or will enter into agreements with the State Department of Tourism, diplomatic missions of States, are exempt from its provisions on Decree-clearing (No. 3). and / or international organizations with which the Republic of Cyprus has concluded bilateral transnational agreements or international conventions and the Ministry of Labor, Welfare and Social Security for hosting asylum seekers other vulnerable population groups or applicants for international protection.
