Filenews 20 November 2020 - by Marilena Panagi
A distress signal for the size of the dispersion of coronavirus throughout Cyprus, the rapid diagnostic tests emit. Yesterday gave clear indications of the presence of the coronavirus in communities and small municipalities in the provinces of Nicosia, Limassol Larnaca and Famagusta, while it is particularly important to note that the results of the tests carried out with rapid tests so far have not obtained "false positive" results, in the samples tested and with molecular examination in the previous days.
A distress signal shall also be transmitted to the results of the checks carried out in nursing homes.
Yesterday, through the relevant programme of the Ministry of Health, a total of 37 confirmed cases were detected, 33 of which concerned residents and staff of the multi-strong Kyperountas Centre, while imports of elderly people from nursing homes to the reference hospital are gradually increasing.
A problem appears to have arisen in the last 24 hours with the rehabilitation centre in Tersefanou, which houses people positive for the virus, after the Health Ministry was informed that no other places were available. In fact, this has resulted in elderly people who need care but do not show symptoms that require their hospitalization in a hospital, not being able to be served.
As far as the capital is concerned, the data of the last few days are already of concern since the coronavirus was already the reason for the restriction of members of the Government and the paralysis of the House. At the same time, in the Municipality of Latsia, where 16 cases have already been confirmed in a single school and another 10 in a nursing home, yesterday with the method of rapid diagnosis, 11 other positive results emerged, two of which concern a second school unit in the area.
It is also important to mention that in the five-day period 13-18 November, Nicosia recorded the second highest number of cases between the provinces, with 191 confirmed cases.
The data, as officially announced by the Ministry of Health yesterday afternoon, are not in doubt and should probably provoke the reaction of the competent authorities and of course of the Government.
In particular, a total of 268 cases of coronavirus were reported yesterday, resulting in 6,356 molecular tests. Of these, 42 were confirmed test results with rapid diagnostic tests. The day before yesterday, another 14 results had been confirmed.
A total of 93 positive results were obtained from tests carried out at 16 locations across Cyprus with the numbers recorded in small populations showing the scale of the problem.
In total, 6,007 tests were carried out with rapid antigen diagnostic tests:
In the province of Nicosia, 2,578 people were checked and 42 positive results were obtained. 11 concerned the Municipality of Latsia.
In Limassol province, 1,135 people were checked and the number of positive results was 23. 13 were for the Colosseum community and were the result of 374 tests.
In the province of Larnaca the checks were carried out yesterday in the Municipality of Levivadia. A total of 385 people were examined, eight of whom had a positive result.
In the free area of Famagusta, the checks were carried out in the Municipality of Sotira and from 345 tests 16 positive results were obtained.
Unlike the other provinces, in Paphos province, out of a total of 833 audits, only three positive results were obtained.
81 patients in hospitals – 10 in ICU
After a few days of relative stabilisation in the number of patients with coronavirus in need of hospitalization, yesterday began to show a gradual increase again.
A total of 81 patients were hospitalized in Famagusta and Nicosia hospitals by the afternoon. 10 of them in the Intensive Care Unit and another five in the Increased Care Unit of Famagusta Hospital.
Speaking to the House Health Committee, the executive director of the State Health Services Agency, Christos Loizidis, acknowledged that there is a problem with the staffing of hospitals, which need support from the private sector in order to be able to fully meet the needs that have arisen from the pandemic.
"There is a staffing issue due to an increase in needs," Mr. Loizidis said, adding that "to this end they have also asked for the help of the private sector and the health ministry and are helping significantly with doctors' recruitments."
The president of the Cyprus Association of Government Physicians, Sotiris Koumas, said among other things that, "some things have been delayed", adding that "experiences gained by health officials, doctors and nurses since last March have remained unclaimed, despite the efforts of doctors to contact either the Ministry of Health or the OKY to help deal with the second wave".
