127 NEW CASES - Wednesday

 Filenews 21 October 2020

The Ministry of Health informs that, according to an update received today by the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit from contracting laboratories, a total of 3,309 laboratory diagnoses identified 127 new cases of COVID-19 disease.

In detail, today's cases emerged as follows:

• Of 315 samples taken through the process of tracing contacts of already confirmed cases, 31 cases were identified.
• Of 1,357 samples taken through a private initiative, 74 cases were detected.
• Of 267 samples taken from the Microbiological Laboratories of the General Hospitals, 6 cases were identified.
• Of 244 samples taken under the referral programme by Personal Physicians and special teams control through the Public Health Clinics, 12 cases were identified.
• Of 690 samples taken as part of a passenger and repatriated check, 4 cases were identified.

In addition, the following laboratory tests were carried out, without the detection of a case:

• From samples taken as part of the control programme for pupils, teachers and school staff, 216 laboratory tests were completed,
• From samples taken as part of a sample check carried out by the COP on Associations participating in its competitions, 43 laboratory diagnoses were carried out,
• From samples taken as part of the migrant structure control programme, 29 laboratory tests were completed, and
• From samples taken as part of the laboratory testing programme carried out in nursing homes and other structures, 148 laboratory diagnoses were carried out.

Therefore, and on the basis of the data so far, the total number of cases amounts to 2,966.

In addition, 19 people tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus at Famagusta General Hospital, three of whom are in the Increased Care Unit. In addition, two patients are being treated in the Intensive Care Unit at the Nicosia General Hospital, while two other people are being treated in a COVID-19 ward.

The number of people showing symptoms is still much higher than the number of asymptomatic vectors of the virus. Indicative of the fact that of the 12 persons examined, through the panel programme, only two were subject to the examination in the context of a pre-operative check-up. The remaining 10 were referred by their Personal Physician due to symptoms they experienced.

In the last three days the number of people in need of hospitalization has exceeded 20 with an upward trend. There is also an increase in people who have more severe symptomatology and need hospitalization. This unfortunately confirms the estimates that, with the significant increase in daily cases, the risk of exposure to people belonging to vulnerable groups of the population is also increasing.

Finally, it should be noted that the ratio between cases and laboratory tests shows that the protection measures must be faithfully respected, since today, one in 25 people tested tested positive for the virus.