Two deaths and 390 new coronavirus cases were announced by the health ministry on Tuesday.

The deaths concern two men aged 77 and 62.

They bring to 339 the number of deaths from Covid-19 recorded: 224 men and 115 women with average age 77.8.

In total 65,548 PCR and rapid tests were carried out, giving a positivity rate of 0.59 per cent.

There are 189 patients with Covid-19 in state hospitals, 57 of whom are in serious condition. Of these, 32 are intubated.

The new cases concern 117 detected through contact tracing, 109 among people who got tested privately and 10 among samples processed in state hospital labs.

Two more cases were either referrals for testing by GPs or checks among special groups.

Another 32 cases concern people who got rapid tests in private labs and pharmacies and 120 cases were among the rapid tests carried out in all districts on behalf of the health ministry. Of these, one case was detected during tests in nursing homes in Nicosia, one among athletes and two from tests at the Ergates industrial area.

In addition, 44 cases were detected during tests in the Limassol district with a positivity rate of 0.31 per cent, 27 in Nicosia (0.12 per cent), 30 in Larnaca (0.36 per cent), five in Paphos (0.09 per cent) and 10 in the Famagusta district (0.32 per cent).

The total number of cases is now 70,098.

In the north, 33 cases were announced on Tuesday out of 9,010 tests, a positivity rate of 0.36 per cent. So far, 6,750 cases have been recorded in the north and 33 deaths.