Coronavirus: Two deaths, 410 new cases (updated)

The health ministry said Monday two people died from Covid over the past 24 hours and 410 new infections were detected from 43,173 tests, a positivity rate of 0.95 per cent.

The ministry said 217 people were hospitalised, 51 in serious or critical condition.

The deaths concern an 82-year-old woman, and a man, 90, with underlying health problems.

The number of people who lost their lives to the virus since March 2020 has reached 245, with 162 being men. The average age is 79.

Authorities have recorded 42,628 cases since the start of the pandemic.

Of the 51 patients in serious condition, 21 were intubated, four were in ICUs without intubation, and 26 in high dependency units.

The ministry said 146 new infections concerned close contacts of previously confirmed cases that were detected among 784 samples.

An additional 12 cases were reported at the Republic’s two airports from 1,449 samples collected from arriving passengers.

Eighteen infections were reported by private laboratories after testing 655 samples and 22 by state hospitals after 335 tests.

One case was among 122 referred by GPs.

Eleven infections were detected by rapid antigen tests in 1,285 samples tested at private labs and pharmacies.

The ministry said most cases, 200, were detected in 38,542 samples tested by rapid antigen tests as part of the government’s mass screening programme.

Limassol continued to report a triple number of daily cases, 116 from 9,418 tests, a positivity rate of 1.23 per cent.

In Nicosia, crews detected 38 infections among 13,374 tests, or a positivity rate of 0.28 per cent; Larnaca had 11 cases in 5,220, 0.21 per cent; Paphos, 17 in 5,220, or 0.59 per cent, and Famagusta, nine in 1,700, or 0.53 per cent.