Coronavirus: No deaths, 398 new cases announced (updated)

The health ministry announced 398 new coronavirus cases on Saturday from 43,940 tests, a positivity rate of 0.91 per cent.

There was an increase in patients treated for the virus in state hospitals with 201, including 34 in serious or critical condition.

The number of infections since the start of the pandemic has reached 39,277 with 238 deaths – 158 men and 80 women. The average age of the deceased is 79.

Of the 34 patients in serious or critical condition, 18 were intubated, three were being treated in ICUs without intubation, and 13 in high dependency units.

The ministry said 147 of the new cases concerned close contacts of previously confirmed cases detected in 927 samples.

Two were travellers out of 794 tests, the ministry said. Forty-three cases were detected in 1,517 samples tested by private laboratories.

Eight cases were reported by state hospital labs from 228 tests and three concerned 144 samples collected from migrant reception centres.

Health authorities conducted 40,288 rapid antigen tests, recording 195 infections.

Limassol continued to record a high number of cases with 107 in 12,312 tests, or a positivity rate of 0.87 per cent. Nicosia had 43 cases in 15,296 tests and Larnaca 23 in 6,100.

Paphos recorded 14 cases from 3,871 tests and Famagusta eight from 1,789.