Coronavirus: Limassol has become a ‘dark red zone’

Limassol has turned into a ‘dark red’ zone according to the categorisation of the European centre for disease prevention and control (ECDC), as it accounted for 68 per cent of recent nationwide Covid-19 cases, the health ministry said on Friday.

Out of 2,340 Covid-19 cases recorded between February 17 and March 2, a total of 1,592 were from Limassol, according to the weekly report by the health ministry’s epidemiological team.

The district’s cumulative diagnosis rate spiked to 641.2 per 100,000 in the last 14 days, surpassing the lower limit of 500 per 100,000 set by ECDC to mark a dark red zone.

Meanwhile, the nationwide cumulative diagnosis rate also saw an increase from 168.7 per 100,000 to 263.5 per 100,000, which is significantly higher than the ECDC safety limit of 150 per 100,000.

The rate in Nicosia increased to 134.5 per 100,000 from 81.4 per 100,000 over the previous two-week period, in Larnaca it rose to 91.9 per 100,000 from 65.8 per 100,000, Famagusta to 61.3 per 100,000 from 36.8 per 100,000 and Paphos doubled to 77.6 per 100,000 in the last 14 days from 34.6 per 100,000.

The positivity rate from rapid tests also increased to 0.4 per cent from 0.2 per cent, and to 0.8 from 0.5 per cent in Limassol, according to the report.

A significant increase was noted in people under 19 testing positive for the coronavirus, the health ministry added, due to the rapid tests taken before returning to the classroom. Moreover, more people aged 20-60 tested positive over the last two weeks while a reduction was recorded in people over 60, it was added. The median age was 36 years.

Hospitalisations remain at a similar level to the previous two-week period, with Limassol accounting for 72 per cent of the patients over this period.

“In hospitals, the situation remains manageable for the time being,” the health ministry said adding daily admissions count eight on average.

As of March 4, there were 93 people in hospital, 67 of whom came from the Limassol district. Thirteen patients were in ICU including ten who were intubated. The median age of those patients is 63 and the majority (12) had pre-existing health issues.

With Cyprus being among the first countries in coronavirus testing, a total of 34,457 PCR and 446,286 rapid antigen tests were carried out over the 14-day period, added the report, which corresponds to 3,880.3 PCR and 50,257.4 rapid antigen tests per 100,000 population.