Coronavirus: Two deaths, 334 new cases (Updated)

Two deaths from coronavirus and 334 new cases were announced on Saturday.

The deaths were two men, aged 71 and 79, both with underlying conditions. The 71-year-old had received a first dose of a vaccine — the type was not specified — but the 79-year-old had not been vaccinated.

The health ministry said 193 people were in hospital with the virus, of whom 51 are in serious condition. Twenty-three patients are intubated.

The 334 new cases were among 43,411 tests both PCR and rapid tests with positivity rate 0.77 per cent. These concern 92 cases found positive during contact tracing, 54 people who got tested privately, and nine cases detected through processing of samples at state hospitals’ labs.

Another three cases were detected during testing among passengers at the Larnaca and Paphos airports.

Twenty-one people were found positive after getting rapid tests in private labs.

Another 155 cases were among the 38,750 rapid tests given in all districts on behalf of the health ministry. One case was found among tests in migrant reception centres and two in nursing homes in Nicosia. Sixty cases were found in Limassol with a positivity rate of 0.54 per cent, 48 in Nicosia (0.34 per cent), 36 in Larnaca (0.56 per cent), four in Paphos (0.09 per cent), and four in the Famagusta district (0.20 per cent).

The total number of cases is now 44,305.

So far, 250 deaths have been recorded: 167 men and 83 women, with average age 79 years.