Cyprus Mail 12 April 2020 - by Andria Kades
17 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Cyprus on Sunday and one more death. This brings the total number of cases to 633.
These include 10 people who were identified through contact tracing of known cases, one from tests being carried out on 20,000 people and six whose history is still being investigated.
Virologist Leontios Kostrikkis said the results showed the policy taken by the government is correct. He repeated an appeal to people to keep contacts to a minimum.
The death brings to 16 the total number of people who have died with coronavirus. Of these, it is the cause of death for 11 people. Seven of those are men and four are women, with an average age of 69. The latest death was an 82-year-old woman who had a history of health problems.
The testing of 20,000 of the most exposed people in the private and public sector continued on Sunday in a process that is expected to continue until the end of April. Kostrikkis said the results expected in the next few days will reveal the extent of the spread of the virus.
“We want to believe that the picture we will have will not overturn our conviction that we’re on a good path,” he said.
More than 6,000 tests are expected to be carried out on staff at all public health centres.
So far, a total of 17,923 tests have been carried out.
Kostrikkis also added that 65 people who tested positive and were hospitalised, have since been sent home.
Out of cases from the past few days whose history was being investigated, the connection to a confirmed case has been found for eight, while investigations continue for another nine.
Scientific director at the health services organisation (Okypy) Dr Marios Loizou said that as of 3pm on Sunday, there were 25 people at the Famagusta general hospital, used as a reference hospital. Three of the patients are in the intensive care unit while four were released.
Eight people in total are intubated in ICUs, two in Limassol general hospital and six in Nicosia general hospital. Their condition is critical but stable.
Loizou said the positive trend observed in the past few days “gives us the possibility to come back to the issue of protecting vulnerable groups and the elderly.” He was referring to a health ministry decision taken a day earlier to protect people in care homes.
“Thankfully in Cyprus, in contrast to other countries, we have managed to a large extent to protect these special groups of the population.
“I know that as a society we love and care for our grandparents greatly. Precisely because we love them though, we stay away from them,” he said.
Kostrikkis appealed to the public to keep their contacts to a minimum and stay home over the next few days as the island enters Holy week.
“Do not forget that there are asymptomatic carriers among us that can transmit the virus much more easily without them knowing.
“Do not take what we seem to be achieving for granted.”
Loizou noted that the celebration of Easter and the Resurrection marks the victory of life against death. “This is the effort we, as a society are doing against the pandemic. For life to beat death. So far we are doing well. Let us continue this way.”
