Coronavirus: Number of patients double in ten days

The number of coronavirus patients in state hospitals has doubled in the last ten days, according to state health services (Okypy) spokesman Charalambos Charilaou.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Charilaou admitted that state hospitals are currently under strain, due to the increase in the number of cases.

However, despite it being a worrying development, beds in hospitals are still available, with the possibility of adding others in case of need, he said.

“Where there is a need for more beds to be made available, we will intervene,” he said.

“There is an action plan in place that, if activated, will see the introduction of up to 300 additional beds in state hospitals.”

A total of 165 Covid-19 patients are currently hospitalised in state hospitals in Cyprus, 18 of whom are in intensive care units.

“The escalation in patients is worrying, but we are not yet at a critical point, seeing that more beds can be made available, meaning we will not overcrowd hospital wards,” Charilaou said.

He added that President Nicos Anastasiades held a meeting with an Okypy delegation on Wednesday night to assess the situation.

“It was a constructive meeting,” Charilaou said. “Proper answers were given to all the president’s questions that came up during the conversation and it was agreed to further develop the dialogue between the parties, in order to resolve any issues that might arise in the next days.”