Filenews 5 February 2022 - by Marilena Panagi
The downward trend of epidemiological indicators has been halted as there is an increase in the number of children infected, possibly due to the increased controls carried out in schools. At the same time, of great interest is the fact that only one in five people who are infected and admitted to hospitals face an underlying chronic disease.
The updated national report, which was released yesterday, reflects the situation as it has developed over the past fourteen days in Cyprus.
As far as the hospitalized patients are concerned, and according to the official data of the Ministry of Health, last Monday, a total of 232 people were hospitalized. The average age of hospitalized patients was 69 years (compared to 64 in the week before). Of the 232 people, only 35 (18.8%), as reported in the national report, were facing an underlying disease.
Furthermore, and as far as the patients in the Intensive Care Units are concerned, the data show that at that time, there were 37 coronavirus patients in ICU, all of whom were intubated. The median age of COVID-19 patients in ICU was 66 years, and only eight of the 32 people (22.9%) hospitalized in ICU reported underlying illnesses.
At the same time and as it appears from the data of the CySEC, the analysis of data shows that, in their majority, patients hospitalized in common wards carry the mutation "Omikron" of the coronavirus, while people hospitalized in ICU, the mutation "Delta", which as it turns out has not completely subsided against "Omikron". According to the data, about 75-77% of patients in the common wards are with the variant "Omikron" and as far as the ICU is concerned, of the samples taken and subjected to specialized tests, 91% concern patients with the "Delta" mutation.
As for people who were infected with the virus in general in the previous days, according to the national report, "of the 29,623 cases (95.5%) with information available, 1,565 people with COVID-19 (5.3%) reported at least one underlying disease.
Of particular interest is the distribution of positive cases by age group since, as it is found, in the past 14 days, the coronavirus has hit more young people and children. Specifically, of the total number of positive cases, 10,525 involved people 0-19 years old (33.9%), 17,315 people aged 20-59 years (55.8%), 3,167 people aged 60 years and over (10.2%). The median age of all COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days was 31 years, while the median age of adults (≥ 18 years) with COVID-19 was 39 years.
As the Ministry of Health points out, "the highest value of the cumulative incidence of 14 days was recorded in the ages of 0-9 years and 10-19 years, but this may reflect to some extent the increased laboratory testing in these groups, compared to others".
In the last fourteen days, it "hit" not only children but also the elderly, while January in general, based on the official death report, has surpassed August 2021 and took the black lead in deaths.
Specifically, "the total number of deaths of people diagnosed with COVID-19 reached 104, of which 96 had an underlying cause of COVID-19."
The increase recorded compared to December 2021 was 136%.
> 69% of the total number of deaths in the month of January was without a history of vaccination.
> 2% were fully vaccinated.
> 9% fully vaccinated and with the booster dose.
> 20% were partially vaccinated.
"It is noteworthy that 50% of the total number of deaths for the month of January 2022 are for people aged 70 and over with no history of vaccination."
The CSO runs to fill the gaps
The Organization of State Health Services is trying to solve the problems caused to the operation of public hospitals by the large number of absences of doctors and nurses, since the detection of cases and the recording of close contacts between staff, has already begun to cause dysfunction.
As the spokesman of the CySEC, Charalambos Harilaou, said in his statements, "around 200 people are absent from their work on a daily basis". "We are trying in every way to make transfers, we hired enough staff in the month of December, 62 new nurses, and this has helped with the existing needs. A large number are absent, around 200. The number of absences at Nicosia General Hospital is higher, it is around 70 nurses who are absent due to Covid or are close contacts. We also have sick leave and childbirth leave, which makes the situation even more difficult."
Regarding the vaccination coverage of health professionals, Mr. Harilaou mentioned that "the percentage of vaccination coverage of medical staff has exceeded 90%. Lately, the vaccination coverage rate of nursing staff is approaching 85%".
Asked about the implementation of the "Test to stay" measure in the medical and nursing staff, the spokesman of the CySEC said that "this was our recommendation to be made to health professionals as well".
According to information provided by "F", already members of the SEE who work in public hospitals have begun to prepare the plan for the practical implementation of the program, which will be implemented soon after the extension of the "Test to stay" in the health sector has already been decided by the Council of Ministers.
