92 CASES FOUND AT SLAUGHTERHOUSE, NICOSIA

 Filenews 7 November 2020

92 positive cases of COVID-19 were detected in a slaughterhouse. According to an update received by the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health from a contracting private laboratory, which carried out a laboratory check on the staff of a Slaughterhouse in Nicosia Province, out of a total of 146 samples taken, 92 cases of COVID-19 were detected. It is reportedly Cypra.

The Epidemiological Surveillance Unit is in contact with the management of the premises to separate the virus-positive person and to follow the relevant protocols.

Please note that the Slaughterhouse remains closed.

The C.I.A. activated a special action plan and sent two doctors and nurses to the scene for a clinical examination of these individuals.

In addition, the medical-nursing team will take all necessary steps to separate positive individuals and isolate them to avoid further spread of the virus.

Written statement by the Minister of Health, Mr. Konstantinos Ioannou, following the detection of an influx of cases in a Slaughterhouse:

The detection of the influx of cases in a slaughterhouse in Nicosia, following a recording of cases in other workplaces, demonstrates a poor application of the relevant health protocols and in several cases reveals the violation of the protection measures.

Such events are extremely worrying because they undermine the collective effort to tackle the health crisis and essentially null and void the sacrifices that the whole society is making to contain the virus.

Our pandemic management strategy is based more on cooperation rather than enforcement, hence throughout this time we are in contact with employers, professional and trade unions, the commercial and industrial world, workers' organisations and all the other stakeholders, whom we treat as valuable partners in the effort to halt the virus.

Unfortunately, however, in many cases, despite constant consultations, appeals, directives, facilities and admonies, there is an incomparable indifference, which is a challenge for the thousands of workers, employers and generally citizens who observe the measures and follow the health protocols faithfully.

At the moment the priority of the Health Services, and in particular the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit of the Ministry of Health, is to identify and isolate cases and their contacts in order to limit the further spread of the virus. The circumstances in which this major contamination has been caused in the slaughterhouse in question are being investigated.

Once again I call for compliance with health protocols and for a reduction in the circle of contacts. The next few days are crucial to the evolution of the epidemiological picture in our country and the behaviour of all of us will determine whether the situation will remain manageable.