Filenews 19 November 2020 - by Marilena Panagi
Rapid tests strategy is being prepared by the Government, with Health Minister Konstantinos Ioannou putting before the Cabinet today for approval a "strategy" prepared by the Scientific Advisory Committee that includes carrying out mass audits in nursing homes, hospitals, schools and camps, while as already announced throughout Cyprus, as of today, 16 control stations will be operating with the aim of capturing , through this process to some extent, the true epidemiological picture of the island.
The results of the checks carried out in all the provinces, following the addition of Nicosia yesterday, have already given their indications and the Government is rather called upon to regroup since it is shown that the dispersion of the crown in Cypriot society probably does not stop at the limits of the Governor's Coast.
And the results of the rapid diagnostic tests carried out on the first day of implementation of the programme in the capital are likely to cause concern and require closer monitoring of the situation, as one in 50 randomly examined tested tested positive for the crown. The indications, of course, for Nicosia had begun to become visible from the previous days when the results of molecular laboratory tests revealed new chains of transmission of the coronavirus, in Lyceums, nursing homes and other institutions, while yesterday the Presidential itself entered the equation in which three cases of coronavirus were detected at once putting the Government on alert.
Remarkable is the fact that the same picture seems to show the other provinces, except Paphos, which had been thrown into the battle of rapid tests from the previous days. This is because, as is apparent from the data published by the Ministry of Health, with the exception of the province of Paphos where one in 250 citizens tested tested, in the other provinces, the proportion was the same as Nicosia, that is, one in 50 showed a positive indication of the virus.
Rapid tests once a week
In the strategy prepared by the scientists and expected to be put before the Council of Ministers today by the Minister of Health, it is provided, inter alia, for checks to be carried out under the rapid diagnosis procedure, once a week, on the basis of a programme, in schools, nursing homes, hospitals, camps, etc., with the aim of completing some 10,000 examinations a day.
The Minister of Health, moreover, according to information from the "F", is preparing to seek the approval of the Ministry for the purchase of another 300,000 rapid antigen diagnostic tests, in order to continue the relevant programmes for a longer period of time and thus cover a larger part of the population in a short period of time.
198 new cases of coronavirus
A total of 77 patients with coronavirus were hospitalized until yesterday afternoon in Famagusta and Nicosia hospitals. 10 of them were in the Intensive Care Unit and another six received mechanical support in the Increased Care Unit.
Yesterday, 198 new cases of coronavirus were announced, resulting from 7,049 laboratory tests.
Yesterday's incidents include 14 molecular verifications of individuals who had tested positive through the rapid antigen test method in the previous days. It should be noted that the other subjects, who also had a positive indication after a rapid diagnosis examination in the previous days, will be subjected within days and to a molecular examination to verify their results.
As regards the control programmes for workers moving between provinces:
From 1,379 samples taken in Limassol province, nine cases were detected.
From 470 samples taken in Paphos province, no positive incidents were detected.
With regard to rapid diagnostic tests:
In Nicosia, 611 audits were carried out with 12 positive results.
In Limassol, 1,031 audits were carried out with 20 positive results.
In Larnaca, 347 checks with 7 positive results.
In Paphos, 758 citizens were examined with 3 positive results.
In Famagusta, 302 citizens were examined with 6 positive results.
Review of measures required by Limassol Municipalities
A review of the restrictive measures in force is required by the Government of the Municipalities and bodies of limassol province, who yesterday formally submitted their proposals to the Minister of Health Konstantinos Ioannou.
They are calling for a change in the times when a curfew is imposed so that it starts at 9:00 and not at 8:00 at night. They demand that the 'rapid test' be accepted for travel to and from the province without a molecular examination being imposed, and raise the issue of exempting more professional sectors from the operating ban.
They are also calling for the strengthening of existing measures to support businesses and workers 'which are considered insufficient' and to this end, a consultation with the city stakeholders is called for, with a view to finding the best possible solutions".
