Filenews 5 December 2025 - by Marilena Panayi
With the first drop in temperature, the viruses that cause colds also appeared, while in the offices of personal doctors, the number of patients with symptoms of all seasonal infections began to increase. Coronavirus cases are not showing up to the extent they were recorded in previous weeks, however, it seems that the flu is slowly gaining ground and Cyprus is entering the winter infection season for good.
The increased activity of winter viruses has also led the Health Insurance Organization to extend the opening hours of the on-call clinics of the GHS, so that the Accident and Emergency Departments are not burdened during non-working hours and days when the personal doctors' clinics are not operating.
"Wear a mask when visiting the offices of your personal doctors", the appeal of the president of the Scientific Society of Personal Doctors, Mary Avraamidou, who, speaking to "F", said that "this week we saw an increase in cases involving viruses that cause colds". Patients "when they have symptoms that refer to seasonal infections and will visit their personal doctor, remember to wear their mask. There are other patients in the clinics and crowding favours transmission. We have now entered the season of seasonal infections. The incidents concern people of all ages, with somewhat more among the employees."
Also, he said, "we notice that the symptoms of the flu are quite intense. We have the viruses that cause colds and, of course, the coronavirus, although this week we saw a slight decrease in coronavirus cases." The important thing, said Mrs. Avraamidou "is for us all to take our measures, to limit ourselves and to point out that vaccinations continue and those citizens who have not been vaccinated can contact their personal doctor".
Regarding the on-call clinics of the GHS and the extension of their operating hours, Ms. Avraamidou stated that "it is something that happened last year and certainly the personal doctors will respond as they should".
The opening hours of the on-call clinics, according to the relevant announcement of the HIO, are extended by two hours on Saturday and Sunday (holidays). That is, they will operate from 10 in the morning until 6 in the afternoon instead of 11 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon which they have been operating until now. "The Health Insurance Organization informs that, due to the increased seasonality of respiratory viruses and the consequent increase in demand for primary health care services on weekends and public holidays, on-call personal doctor services are extending their operating hours during the period December – March. This decision aims to ensure the unhindered access of beneficiaries to health services and to more effectively manage the increased attendance during the period of seasonal infections," the Organization said in its announcement.
This schedule will be valid until March 29, 2026 and the call center for arranging appointments will be open from 9:30 in the morning.
Call centre - 17000 or info@gesy.org.cy
For Paphos General Hospital please call 26 803266 or 26 803335.
New sub-strain of influenza
As for the new sub-strain of influenza "K", doctors estimate that it will inevitably occur, "if it has not already occurred" in Cyprus as well. "We are monitoring what is recorded at European and international level and we are constantly informed," said Ms. Avraamidou.
At the European level, according to the latest report by the European Center for Infection Control (ECDC), the "K" substrain has now been identified "worldwide" and is recording an increased presence in Europe. The same report highlights that the 'K' substrain appears as the dominant genetic strain in a large part of the sequenced samples.
At the same time, in the United Kingdom, the Health Security Agency (UKHSA), in its weekly epidemiological report, points out that despite the fact that "K" may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine, "vaccination continues to offer significant protection against serious outcomes, with a particularly positive picture in childhood".
The developments surrounding the "K" subclade have aroused the interest of international media, which in recent days have been publishing extensive reports.
SFGate in California describes the new substrain as a "mutant flu strain" that is spreading internationally, emphasizing that it has already been linked to an early increase in cases in several regions. The "New York Post" refers to an increase in flu cases in the US, Canada and the UK, pointing out that the "K" seems to account for a significant part of the cases. The "Times of India" newspaper points out that "K" has been linked to intense flu activity in Japan and has been recorded in many Asian and North American regions.
