Coronavirus: 843 new cases, no deaths (updated)

There were no deaths from Covid in the past 24 hours, as 843 new infections were reported after 53,024 tests, an overall positivity rate of 1.59 per cent, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

According to a ministry statement, 291 people were being treated in hospital with 71 in serious or critical condition.

The number of recorded cases since March last year has reached 58,865 and 295 people have died from complications caused by the virus.

Of the 71 patients in serious or critical condition, 33 were intubated, six were being treated in an ICU without intubation, and 32 in high dependency units.

The ministry said 48,104 screenings had been conducted using rapid antigen tests and 4,920 with PCR.

Of the 843 new cases, 103 were contacts of previously confirmed infections, detected among 1,113 samples.

Five cases were detected among 558 samples collected at the two airports and 175 were infections reported by private labs after testing 2,767 people.

State hospital labs reported eight cases in 269 samples.

An additional 50 infections were detected among 964 samples tested at private labs and pharmacies using rapid antigen tests.

Most of the infections were reported by the state mass screening programme, which found 502 in 47,140 samples.

Nicosia reported 181 cases in 13,424 samples, a positivity rate of 1.35 per cent, followed by Limassol with 109 in 9,792 tests, or 1.11 per cent.

Larnaca recorded the highest positivity rate after 46 cases were found among 3,578 samples, or 1.63 per cent. Paphos had 46 cases after 3,578 tests, 1.29 per cent, and Famagusta 15 from 2,251, 0.67 per cent.

Additional cases were reported in secondary schools, 42 from 8,927 tests, primary schools, three from 706, and the National Guard, two out of 410 tests.

One infection was reported at a Limassol care home after 245 tests, two among 568 samples at the Ypsonas industrial estate, and two among 646 samples at Dhali industrial estate.

Three cases were detected among 435 samples provided by athletes.